


Mountain Storm

by ShodawCat13



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Minor Violence, Nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 07:57:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 41,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShodawCat13/pseuds/ShodawCat13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A trip to the mountains doesn't go as planed for a young man named Owen. Because of a storm he's separated from his friends and attacked by wild Mightyena. Saved and then cared for by a Blaziken he helped, Owen see's a new side to pokemon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was cool out, a perfect day for going hiking through the forested mountains. Or at least that's how it should have been if the weather man had been right… The day had started off that way, but now instead of the clear blue skies the dark green haired young man had been expecting, they had heavy grey clouds rolling in from the west.

"I think we should start heading back to camp." The green haired man called out to the others with him, two more men and a woman, as he looked at the sky. It was already a little windy and he shivered. He regretted leaving his brown and green sweater and hiking up here in just his jeans and tan tee shirt. All the others had been smart enough to have grabbed one or a jacket, so weren't having the same problem.

"But we just got up here… Can't we look around for signs to see if there really is a Salamance around here first for a little while Owen?" One of the men, a middle aged muscular guy with short brown hair companion.

"I know haven't got to do anything yet, but the weather seems to be turning fast. We all know how dangerous it can be out here in a bad storm." The green haired man, Owen told him shaking his head.

"And we've got the whole summer, it's not like we can't come back up here Jake." The woman, Sarah said pushing strands her just past shoulder length blue hair out of her face. The wind was blowing it around some. Reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out a couple hair ties. She offered one to Owen as the wind was also blowing around his shoulder length hair.

"Thanks." Owen said quietly in both acceptance of the hair tie and to her backing him up about leaving now.

The last man, Tom, a guy with slightly shaggy dark blond hair nodded in agreement to leaving. Seeing he was out voted Jake sighed, "Fine… But as soon as we can we're heading back up."

Used to his attitude. Owen just nodded and whistled. After a few moments a deer pokemon with leaf covered antlers come out of a patch of trees off to the groups left. "We're heading back now." He told the Sawsbuck, who just gazed at him with one large brown eye before starting down the trail that would take them back to their camp in a clearing down at the base of the mountain.

The rest, along with their own pokemon (Sarah a Ledian, Jake a Primeape, and Tom a Growlithe) started following Owen and his Sawsbuck. As they walked Owen keep looking at the sky and worried. It seemed to moving in a lot faster then he'd thought it would. He wasn't sure they'd had the hour and a half needed to hike back down to where they're camp was.

And they didn't. They were only maybe halfway back when the first drops of rain started to fall. Lacking a jacket or sweater as he was, Owen quickly found himself with his arms wrapped around his chest while trying not to think too badly of himself for believing the day was going to be good and so not needing one… His backpack did protect his back a little from the rain, but he thought it might be getting heavier even though he was sure it was water proof.

Luckily for him Sawsbuck slowed to walk so he was next to his trainer, with his leafy antler over Owens head. It didn't stop all the rain as some water dripped through to still drop onto him, but it was better than nothing.

"Thanks." He told his pokemon and patted the deer's back.

...

The downpour of rain got steadily heavier as time passed till soon they were all drenched and miserable. Ledian had stopped flying above her trainer soon after the rain started to pick up and the large lady bug was walking next to Sarah.

Sarah kept an eye on the bug as they walked for signs she was slowing. She was more used to flying around then walking after all. She also looked up at the sky often with a worried look. "Guys, do you think we should try to find a place to wait till it dies down a bit? With it coming down in sheets like this, it's getting hard to see."

"Do you see anyplace to stop here?" Jake asked, coming off a bit snappy and waving around at the bit of seeable path they were on. At the moment they were walking single file down a somewhat narrow path that curved along the mountain side.

"I can't see much of anything so no, I can't see a place to-"

"Guys cut it out." Tom yelled so he'd be heard over the storm and the two. "We don't need to listen to you guys fighting as well as getting soaked. Well stop once we find a safe place too."

The two nodded and Owen let out a relieved breath. They really didn't need to start fighting now… The two did it enough we they weren't all grumpy and getting rained on. He watched his friend that were now walking ahead of him, as some time during the walk he and Sawsbuck had slowed down and ended up as the last two walking down the trail. He didn't mind though, as this way he could keep an eye on his friends better.

A bit of dirt and small rock suddenly hitting Sawsbuck and startling the pokemon, made Owen forget about his friends for a moment as he looked up. He saw a dark shape quickly coming towards them and yelled, "Run." at Sawsbuck, while he himself jumped back out of the way.

Doing as he was told the deer, as well as the others, ran down the trail a little before looking back to see a pile of mud, grass and stones covering the path. "Owen!" Jake and Sarah yell at the same time as they hurried over to look for their green haired friend.

"I'm alright…" He called to them from where he was on the other side. He'd moved back enough to not get trapped under the mess but still had been spattered some by the mud. As he wiped it off he looked at the mess before him. It looked like most had landed close to the mountain side and was thin near the edge. He didn't really want to go over there unless he had to though. "How's it look on your side?"

"Like a mess." Answered Jake quickly, glad he was alright. "It seems thickest near to the mountain side. Can't tell if it's just because of the stones or if it's deep mud."

Owen sighed. He'd been hoping it only looked like that from his side… He stood there thinking of what to do. At least till a little more mud fell to join the pile before him. Looking up nervously he looked for anymore coming down. He didn't see any at the moment but that didn't mean it wasn't going to be soon. Owen thought of heading back the way he'd come, but worried about going alone. If something happened then he'd been even worse off than he was now. He thought of just trying to wait for the storm to pass where he was but a little more mud fell and he made up his mind. He didn't know how much more might come down and he knew his friends would want to wait on the other side too. He didn't' want to endanger them all.

"I'm going to try to climb over." Owen called to his waiting friends and moved to about halfway to the edge. He thought it might be easier down there but wasn't about to get closer with the pouring rain.

"Be careful." He heard Tom call to him as he started to climb the mess.

"I will be." He called back as his foot sank into the mud a bit. He quickly pulled it loose and kept climbing. As he climbed about halfway over the mess, what he'd been fearing might happen did. More mud and rocks came tumbling down to join that already on the path. It wasn't as much as before but some still hit into him. He was knocked over to his side and started to slide towards the edge with the mud and debris. Heart racing he tried to grab something to stop himself, but everything was going in the same direction.

He heard his name being screamed as he went over the edge with the mud before everything went black.

...

The first thing Owen realized as he come to was the he hurt. Everywhere… Groaning he tried to sit up but found he was laying in something kind of sticky so it was harder than it should have been, even in as much pain as he was in.

Opening his eyes he lifted his head a little and looked around. "Why am I half buried in mud?" He asked of no one in a horse voice. For a moment he was totally confused and then his memories of the storm and what happened on their way down the mountain came slowly back to him. Looking up he wondered how far he'd slid and/or fallen to get where he was now. He hadn't a clue but was thankful he wasn't dead or dying.

Looking back down at the mud he tried to sit up again and after a moment of struggling finally came loose. As he sat up he realize he still had on his bag and that it was part of why getting up had been hard. He'd had to pull it and himself out of the mess he was laying on his back in.

Now that he was sitting up he looked around a little more. The area around him was sparsely filled with young trees and had a stream running through it. Owen thought he might know where he was, if he was guessing right about where he'd been on the mountain side and if the stream was the one he was thinking it might be, that is. He hoped he was right. If so he didn't think he was too far from where they'd set up camp.

Looking back down at the mud covering his legs he started to dig himself out. First his right leg then his left. Once they were mostly uncovered Owen pulled them out of the mud. As he did pain shot up his right leg and he cried out a little as he'd not been expecting it. Eyes watering a little he gently fingered his leg where it hurt. He didn't feel anything that seemed to indicate his bone was in pieces, but wasn't sure it wasn't broken.

Looking around in the mess of mud, rocks and other things he pulled out some sticks and branches he found here and there. As he did he once again felt lucky he wasn't dead or hurt worse than he was. He could easily have been impaled on one of those on the way down. Or even ended up under it all, instead of on top as he'd done.

Shaking the thoughts away he rolled over onto his hands and knees and started to slowly and carefully make his way off the land slide and over to the stream, trying not to wince or gasp out loud in pain every time he moved his leg. Once he made it there, he started to clean himself little. He mostly cleaned his leg so he could get a better look at it. It had a large nasty looking bruise he wasn't surprised to see, not with how much it hurt. Owen though he likely had others scattered all over that were causing some of his aching. Pulling off his dirty and torn shirt he used it to washed off his chest a little and saw some bruising there as well.

Looking at the bruises got him wondering just how long he'd been lying there though. It normally took a day or more for them to really show up… Looking up at the sun he saw it was near midday. _'So at least one day.'_ He wondered how long the rain had lasted. He felt wet still, but was drying out soon. "I guess I shouldn't just feel lucky I'm not sick yet…" Owen murmured as started to make a brace for his leg with the sticks he'd gathered.

From in his bag he pulled out some thin rope to tie it around his leg. Some of the stuff in the top of the bag seemed a little wet and muddy on the left side as the zipper had come open a little but he didn't think any of it was ruined.

After he was finished bracing up his leg he pulled back on his wet shirt and tried to stand, only to end up back on his rear and gasping in pain. He stayed where he was till the pain faded and then looked over towards the mud slide. Owen hoped he might find something in it he could use as a crutch. If not he'd have to try getting a tree branch or something…

Spotting what looked like a downed tree not too far away; Owen started to crawl over to see if there was anything useful there. He stopped moving and stared at the tree as he saw something red and yellow under it. A Blaziken. It wasn't moving and so Owen wasn't sure if it was dead or not. After staring at it for a while for any signs it might wake up and freak out, (he noticed it was breathing but its eyes were closed so he thought it unconscious) he slowly started to crawl closer again.

When he was close the bird pokemon's eyes opened and its head turned to look at him. Freezing Owen closed his eyes and waited for it to attack him. Nothing happened though so after a few moments he slowly opened his eyes again and looked back at the pokemon. The Blaziken was still watching him. After a few moments Owen looked at the tree and saw its legs and one of its arms seemed to be pinned.

He wasn't sure he could do anything to help, not hurt as he was, but he felt he had to at least try. So watching the bird he painfully crawled closer still and tried to lift the tree. As he did his chest ached and felt strained, he did manage to lift it though a little. Owen wasn't nearly as large in frame or as muscular as Jake was, but he still thought he was well enough off. He was managing to lift this a little after all.

Owen felt the weight ease up some and looked to see the Blaziken was using it's free arm to help. The tree lifted a little higher still and the bird pulled its other arm free. Which it immediately used to push at the tree with all its strength. The tree rose even higher, high enough for it to get is legs free.

Unsure what the pokemon might do now Owen backed up a little and watched as the Blaziken seemed to check itself over. He noticed some cuts on the bird and thought of the potions he had in his bag. He wasn't sure it would let him try to use one of them on it though… And the bag was all the way over by the stream anyway. The bird looked back at him after it was done. It just stared at him then suddenly leapt into the air and landed a good ways away. It looked at him for a moment longer then turned and ran into the woods that started past the sparse trees.

"I guess its ok then." Owen said just sitting where he was for a moment. Remembering why he'd come over here in the first place he started to looked at the tree to see if any of its branches might work as a crutch. Unfortunately he didn't see anything he could use. The few that looked thick and strong enough were too short to be of any help to him.

Sighing he made his way back over to where he'd left his bag. Owen wasn't sure what to do now… He looked around at the other trees. Some did have branches that he thought might work but he wasn't sure if he could get them off the trees in the state he was in. He felt exhausted from lifting the tree off the Blaziken. Should he maybe just wait here for the others? He knew it was best to say put when lost so after some thought he decided to. He had some food in his bag anyway so he wouldn't stave.

...

Later during the day at sunset Owen was still waiting by the stream for his friends to find him. That they hadn't yet was starting to worry him. Was he a lot farther away from their camp then he'd thought? Or had something happened to them as well? A little before sunset he crawled over to the mud slide again to see if he could see them in it, but hadn't seen a thing to indicate they'd gotten caught up in it too. He couldn't help but worry they were all buried under it some were, or maybe left higher up the mountain side.

He was also worried about the fact he had no fire to keep pokemon away and keep himself warm. He had tried to start one with stuff he'd pulled out of the slide but for some reason couldn't find his matches in his bag and as he'd always sucked at started one by rubbing together sticks gave up after an hour or so of failing to get a spark. He didn't know if it was just his luck or the wood, but either way that left him alone and shivering in the dark.

The time seemed to drag out and Owen started jumping at every little sound. He knew being out in the wild area's like this could be dangerous. Especially without any pokemon to keep him safe. He knew there were things that wouldn't mind making a meal of him out here.

"Stop thinking about it." He whispered to himself as he shook his head. He was just scaring himself thinking of what might appear to eat him. Trying to keep his mind off it he started wondering about his friends again. Not that that train of thought did much to cheer him up.

Hearing a rustle of leaves nearby by his heart seemed to leap into his throat. Fearful of what he'd see Owen looked in the area the sound had come from. It was dark so all he could make out was a large dark shape. That seemed to be coming closer. Hearing a sound to his left he turned his head and saw another shadowy shape. He tried to think of what pokemon might work as a group to hunt but at the moment was too scared really come up with anything.

He tried to get up to back away, but with his injured leg all he ended up do was gasping in pain as he put too much weight on it. As if the sound was a signal to move in, the dark shapes suddenly were all around him. _'I… I'm really going to die…'_ He thought in panic as he tried again to get away. Thanks to the adrenaline pumping though him, he managed to get to his feet this time. He didn't get far before he screamed in pain and fear as something bit onto broken right leg and then left arm after he'd fallen back towards the ground. He screamed even louder as something bit his side. He feared whatever had him was going to eat him alive.

The thought terrified him. If he was going to be eaten by some pokemon out here he didn't want to see and feel what was happening.

All the pokemon that were where biting him let go suddenly and started to snarl and growl. Owen didn't understand why. Pain making it even harder to understand what was happening Owen raised his head weakly and looked around, tying to figure out why they'd and were standing around him snarling. He flichened as the whole area was suddenly lit up with bright flames. He saw the fire hit the pokemon standing over him. With the light he saw that it was a pack of Mightyena was around him. He was in too much pain to really know how many there were or really follow what was happening. He just lay bleeding where he'd fallen after the Mightyena had let go to attack whatever had shown up.

He wasn't sure how long they were fighting whatever it was before he was suddenly grabbed by something. He tried to get free but whatever the thing was had a tight hold on him and he was pressed into what he thought to be feathers before he finally passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Chapter 2

Waking with a start, Owen brought his good arm before him to protect himself from the Mightyena he thought were there. Instead of seeing the pokemon or even the small clearing he'd been in, Owen found himself someplace dim, oddly soft, and apparently devoid of the pokemon he'd thought was trying to eat him.

Wary, but calming a little, he tried to figure out just where he might be. As his eyes grew used to the low light Owen realized he seemed to be in a small cave of some kind. He also seemed to be lying on some sort of soft 'nest' of sorts. Using his good arm he ran his hand over a thick layer of what he thought to be some kind of moss and a few feathers? Picking a fluffy off white feather he stared at it as he lay there.

His location made no sense to him. Why would the Mightyena take him someplace? Hadn't they been trying to eat him? He knew little about the canine pokemon, save they were known to eat people when given the opportunity, but still this made no sense even to him. As far as he knew pokemon didn't bother to drag living pray their 'dens' for later eating. That was something a human would do more than a pokemon.

So what was going on? Owen tired to remember what had happened after they attacked him, but all he could remember was flashes of fire before he passed out. And maybe feathers? Looking at the one he had picked up he tired to harder to remember, but only gave himself a headache.

"Where am I?" Owen whispered to the empty cave. He wasn't terrified like he'd been while under attack, but was scared. He was hurt, in an unknown place and had no clue if he'd get rescued after all.

He realized something else to confuse him when he reached with his good arm to feel his wounds and figure out how bad they were. He had reached first for his side and felt something he thought to be leaves over the wound under his shirt. There was something sticky under it that seemed to be keeping it in place. He found his left arm also had leaves wrapped around the bite wound.

 _'Did someone save me?'_ He wondered. Still being in the cave and the fact he was bandaged with _leaves_ confused him. Wouldn't he have being taken to a hospital or something if someone had rescued him?

A rustling noise near the brighter end of the cave drew his attention. Light suddenly filled the cave and for a moment he was blinded. Wincing, Owen tried to make out what was going on. If seemed as if something was nearing him. For a moment he though whoever it was, was an oddly dressed human. As his eyes adjusted to the light though he realized it was a Blaziken with an arm full of leaves, berries and what looked like a large nut shell.

As it realized he was awake now the Blaziken seemed to slow down. It watched him for a moment as if reassuring itself it he was safe to approach. Owen in turn sort of started at the bird pokemon. Had _it_ been the one to put the leaves on his wounds? Had the Blaziken saved him? As it started to approach again he wondered if it was the one he'd saved. If so it made some sense it would help him.

When the bird pokemon reached the nest, its own Owen assumed, it knelt down and placed what it had on the ground next to it. Owen didn't think it was going to hurt him, but after what happened with the last wild pokemon he'd encountered he couldn't help but be nervous as it reached a talon like hand towards his hurt arm. Which he moved out of reach, unsure if he wanted to let the bird touch him.

The Blaziken's hand paused and the bird clicked its beak. After a moment of looking at him it made a humming like 'coo' and attempted take hold of his arm again.

Owen supposed it was trying to show it meant no harm to him with the sound. He was still unsure of the pokemon, but this time let the bird pokemon take a hold of his arm. He wasn't sure he had a choice anyway. It wasn't like he could stop the pokemon from doing whatever it wanted. Realizing this made him feel even more vulnerable. It hurt a little as the pokemon pulled his arm towards its self and started to peel the leaves away. It wasn't trying to hurt him though, so he didn't try to fight it and instead looked at his arm. There was a little blood, but mostly something pale blue covered his bite wound. He had no clue what it might be.

The Blaziken peered at the bite for moment before picking up one of the leaves. A roundish one. It dipped it in the nut shell to get it wet and then used it to wipe off the wound. Gasping a little in pain Owen reflexively tried to yank his arm back. The Blaziken just tightened its hold a little and clicked its beak again at him. Once it was finished cleaning off the wound it reached down to pick up a small blue berry. Holding it over the bite wound the pokemon squashed it in its taloned hand, letting its pale blue juice fall down onto the bite. The juice didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. It actually seemed to ease the pain some.

Once it had squeezed all the juice out of the berry the Blaziken dropped it to the side and picked up a couple fernish like long leaves. It wrapped them around the wound, tucking in the ends and then released his arm. Owen examined it for a moment then looked to the Blaziken.

He didn't have any questions now about who was treating his wounds. Still he was a bit shocked. Tales of pokemon saving humans where common enough, but he'd always figured a lot were just that, tales. Many pokemon were omnivores if not outright carnivores so would more likely eat any hurt or lost humans they ran across. His encounter with the Mightyena showed that. No way they had helping him to a pokecenter in mind…

 _'But obviously not all are just tales either.'_ Owen thought as the Blaziken took a hold of his shirt. As it moved the shirt up the bird seemed to look for any sign it was hurting him to do this. After a moment he realized it likely wasn't sure what it was. Few pokemon had any kind or need of clothing, so he figured the Blaziken probably thought his shirt and pants was a part of him. Reaching down he took a hold of his shirt and ignoring the pain in his arm and removed it to give the pokemon better access to the wound. The Blaziken picked up his bloody shirt and looked it over for a moment, making a 'cluck' like sound now and then. It tugged a little at the fabric and slipped a hand into the neck hole.

"It's a shirt." Owen told it, though as the pokemon was wild he didn't expect it to understand what he was saying. The large humanoid bird did pause in its inspection of the shirt for a moment to look at him though. It gazed at him for a bit then turned its attention back to the shirt.

The bird didn't play around with it too much though and after a minute or two set it down. Looking back at him it turned its sharp gaze at his pants. The look seemed curious and a little thoughtful to him. A moment later the Blaziken tugged at his pants and then slipped its clawed fingers under the waistband.

"Kin?" It seemed too asked as it tugged a little at his pants. Owen wasn't sure what it could be wanting, save possibly to know if they were the same as the shirt. He wasn't sure he wanted to get naked to satisfy the pokemon's curiosity about his clothing though. Even if he didn't end up feeling a bit awkward taking all his clothing off for a pokemon, he wasn't sure if he could without hurting his leg anyway. Though as he gazed down at where he'd been bitten, Owen wondered if uncovering the wound wouldn't be a good idea. It seemed the Blaziken had just tried to warp a leaf around the pant leg, which didn't do much for the wound.

As he was debating whether or not to try taking off his pants, the Blaziken had stopped tugging on them and had went back to its berries and leaves. Not having noticed yet, Owen gasped a little as the leaf over the bite wound was suddenly pulled away. Blue gooey stuff and blood had stuck so it hurt when it was removed.

The Blaziken made a click with its beak at him again and gave him a look that made Owen think the bird thought he was being a baby, before picking up a new leaf to start cleaning off the blood and old berry juice with. Whether it was just his imagination that made the birds look seem that way or not, Owen tried not to show his discomfort to much as it cleaned the bite. Once it was done the bird squeezed another blue berry over the wound like it had done with his arm. This time it spread a little bit of the mashed up flesh over the wound as well. Owen assumed it was to help keep the leaves in place as the Blaziken wasn't warping long leafs or grasses around his torso to keep them there.

When it was finished with that the bird moved a little to sit by his leg. It removed the leaves it had wrapped around over his pants and then carefully took hold of the fabric. "Kin?" It said again as it tugged a little on them. Dried blood had stuck to them so it hurt a bit. See the look of pain that hadn't been there when it had moved his shirt the Blaziken stopped.

Biting his lip a little Owen looked down at his pants. He knew it would be better to get them off in the end so reached down to undo the button and zipper. He wasn't sure the best way of removing them though…

"Might as well just try and do it fast… Hopefully that way it doesn't hurt as long." He said mostly to himself as the bird pokemon hadn't a clue what he was saying. It just looked at him as he spook then made a bit of an upset sounding squawk as he sat up. Light headed and wincing a bit, he pushed the pokemon's hand away as it tried to make him lay back down.

It made unhappy sort of sound but stopped pushing him for a moment and instead watched to see what he was trying to do. Taking the opportunity Owen quickly grabbed the pant leg of his uninjured leg and did his best to pull it off. He got it most of the way before he had to stop. His arm hurt, but it was his side that was surprisingly hurting the most and making it difficult. He'd pulled it down far enough luckily that he didn't have to worry about getting his pants over his hips anymore. Still getting all the way off still wasn't going to be fun.

He needn't have worried over how to get them the rest of the way off though, as after seeing what he was doing the Blaziken took a hold of his loose pant leg and tugged. Caught off guard he didn't even cry out as the other leg too was freed. His eyes did water though as dried blood was ripped free. Blinking rapidly to clear them Owen looked down at his aching leg. It was bleeding some, but not as much as he'd feared from the pain he felt. He had a lot of purple and yellow bruising that was likely making it hurt worse. Some likely was from having been bitten, but he guessed most come from falling with the landslide and breaking it.

Thinking about bruises Owen looked away from his leg and to the rest of himself. He had a number of dark bruises he could see here and there. None as bad his leg thought. Still they hurt even if they weren't as big or nasty.

Movement drew his attention away from his aching leg and to the Blaziken. It had a wet leaf in hand and was eyeing the bite and bruising. Laying back down he closed his eyes as the bird started to work on cleaning it. It hurt a lot more the other wounds and he couldn't keep all sounds of pain from escaping past his lips. Or a few tears for leaking down the side of his cheeks.

He opened his eyes once more when he felt his leg being set back down and gently prodded. The wound was wrapped like his arm was but the bird didn't seem happy and keep feeling his leg. _'Does it realize it's broken?'_ Owen wondered. Suddenly it pressed against a spot that send pain shooting up and down his leg and he cried out. The pokemon quickly pulled his hand away and started to make the cooing hum like sound it had make before.

Heart pounding a little Owen lay there listening to the sound as his leg throbbed. "It's ok…" He murmured to the pokemon. "It just hurt a little is all." He didn't know why he was trying to reassure the bird but saying it felt right. He'd liked to talk to his Sawsbuck even though the deer couldn't answer him. He thought the deer understood a lot of what he said though, so it wasn't quite the same. Still wild or not talking to the pokemon calmed him some.

And he thought maybe it did the same for the Blaziken as it soon stopped looking at him as if afraid he was going to keep screaming. It watched him for a while then went to gather up the leaves and nut shell bowl, as the pokemon used it to carry water he thought it bowl like. The extra berries though it placed on a leaf within reach. It made a few gestures toward them and his mouth, so Owen guessed it was food for him.

Picking one up he cleaned the skin with his had a little and took a tentative bite of a soft pink Peacha berry. It was sweet and juicy. The Blaziken watched him take another bite then with the leaves and bowl in it arms, headed over to the cave entrance. Not blinded by the light now Owen noticed some kind of leaf and stick weaved cover for the cave mouth.

"Did the Blaziken make it?" He wondered. He'd gone to the mountains to learn more about dragon pokemon and how they affected everything around them. Maybe taking an interest in pokemon's intelligence would be better though. He hadn't realized pokemon could do the things he'd seen here. It seemed almost human to him.

Looking down at this leg he had a feeling he might have died even after being saved if the Blaziken hadn't been able to help him. "I'm glad they're not just dumb animals as some people claim."


	3. Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3

Weak from his wounds Owen had fallen back asleep not long after the Blaziken had cleaned his wounds. He'd been too tired and sore to try getting any of his clothing back on so had just used his shirt to cover himself a little.

He didn't sleep for too long though before the rustlings of the caves woven cover being moved woke him up. A little groggy he looked over to the entrance. It took him a moment to realize not one but two Blaziken seemed to be coming in the cave towards him. Instantly becoming more alert he sat up a little. Or tried too… Feeling dizzy he lay back and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again he turned his head so he could look at the approaching pokemon. One had an arm full of leaves and sticks. He thought it was 'his Blaziken', the bird that had treated him before. He wasn't one hundred percent sure though.

The other pokemon looked a lot older. It had a few scares on its body and a scratched beak. What really make him think it was older though was its feathers had a faded look. Some of the yellow feathers were even going grayish in some places.

Nervous, Owen watched the two come closer, wondering what was going on. His unease must have show on his face as younger bird started to coo at him. He recognized the sound of it voice and relaxed a little. The older bird made an amused sound before making a series of clucks, squawks and other bird like sounds. His Blaziken started making the noises too. ' _It sounds like there talking or something.'_ He thought before his eyes widened in realization that that's exactly what they were doing.

Stunned Owen just stared at the two bird pokemon. He couldn't really understand anything, but clearly the two birds understood the other.

What he was witnessing was supposed to be impossible. There was only a hand full of known pokemon that had a language of their own, Alakazam being the best know. He couldn't deny what he was seeing and hearing though. _'Maybe more people should study pokemon out in the wild.'_ He thought as he listened to the noises. Obviously the belief was wrong.

Closing his eyes he thought about what he did now of pokemon. A great many were highly intelligent. Their ability to learn to understand what humans way with time and respond accordingly was what made training them even possible. Listening to the humanoid birds Owen had to wonder how much they understood had gone for granted. He'd even heard of tales of pokemon learning to speak, but hadn't put any stock in them till now. Most pokemon lacked the capability in there vocal cords to make it possible. As he listened to the birds though he wondered if they were capable. They seemed to be making a wide range of sounds.

Opening his eyes again he noticed the two pokemon had come closer and the older Blaziken was looking at him. Well his injured leg. It made a questioning "ken" sound, to which the other Blaziken answered with a couple different sounding clucks. The older bird nodded and the two continued walking towards him.

Still at a loss as to what was going on Owen eyed them nervously. They didn't seem to be a danger to him, but couldn't help the unease he felt. The younger bird put the things it had down before sitting down next to him, while the older settled down by his leg and started to peer at the dressing over the bite and the bruising.

"What's going on?" He knew they'd not understand him but he still couldn't help but ask. The two birds looked at him and each making a few clucking noises. He didn't understand anything of course so if by some chance they were telling him what they were doing he was still clueless.

Looking away from him the old Blaziken ran its clawed fingers up and down. The skin of the pokemon's hand was a bit rough, but the touch was light and gentle so it didn't hurt much. At least till it suddenly pressed down. Gasping a little Owen reflexively tried to move his leg way. The old bird sent him scolding sounding cluck before gentle grabbing his ankle. It pulled his leg back to where it had been before and then started to run its fingers up and down again as it pressed down a bit.

It hurt. Owen wasn't going to deny it. With the pokemon hold his ankle though he couldn't pull away. He wasn't sure if he wanted to though. Despite his nervousness, he had the feeling the pokemon was likely trying to help him. Closing his watering eyes he tired to ignore the pain and think more about how intelligent pokemon really where. It was a little hard to though with twinges of pain running up is leg.

Feeling himself suddenly being shifted to sit up Owen opened his eyes and tilted his head back to see what was going on. The other, younger Blaziken sat behind him, so close his bare back was pressed into its feathery chest. Its feathery arms wrapped around his chest to keep him in place.

Before he could even guess as to why the bird was holding him like this, older Blaziken suddenly wrapped both his clawed hands around his leg and pressed down hard on it.

Owen had been wrong… what the pokemon had been doing moments ago didn't hurt at all. This did. A lot. Maybe more than being bitten had and he could help out cry out in pain, all but a scream really, and try to get away. Not that he could while being held as he was. Suddenly there was popping like sound and the old bird let go and let out a satisfied cluck. It make a few more sounds but Owen was still hurting too much to pay attention.

He could feel that the pokemon was still doing something to his leg, it lifted his leg up at one point, but at the moment didn't care. As long as the bird didn't go pushing on the broken bone again. Whatever it was doing didn't take too long to do. Getting to its feet the old bird seemed to say something to the younger one before it left the cave.

A little after the older looking pokemon had left, Owen realized the younger Blaziken had loosened it hold on him and was making soft cooing sounds in his right ear. Owen let the pokemon comfort him. At the moment he didn't care that it was a wild pokemon, he just needed to feel every might turn out ok. Closing his eyes he let himself relax, as much as possible with the pain he was in, in the pokemon's hold. Owen wasn't sure just how long he and the Blaziken sat like that, but slowly the pain he was feeling started to fade. Once it no longer feeling like a pulsing hotwire of sharp pain he finally looked down at this leg.

He was pretty sure what the pokemon had done, set the bone for him, and now he saw the old Blaziken had also braced it with sticks and some kind of thick long leaves. Looking away from his leg he tilted his head to look at Blaziken holding him. It had stopped cooing now and was watching him in return.

"Ken?" It questioned, and then made a few clucks as well as clicks of his beak.

"I wish I know what you where saying." Owen told the bird. It too seemed to feel the same, if the look it had was any indication.

Pulling one of its arms away from his waist it gestured at his leg and repeated the sounds. He guessed whatever it was saying had to do with his leg but still was mostly clueless. "It's not hurting as much if that's what you want to know." He said.

The bird kept looking at his leg, but didn't keep trying to ask whatever it had been saying. Owen guessed it was giving up for the moment, or he'd somehow answered regardless of them not being able to talk.

They sat in silence again for a bit, before the Blaziken tried to say something else. As it did it moved away from him. As he'd been leaning back on the bird, he had to use his good arm to push himself up a little to keep from falling back. It hurt his side a little to be sitting up on his own, but the pain wasn't enough to cause great discomfort.

He turned his head to look at the Blaziken as it tried to say something to him again. Along with the sounds it pointed into its mouth then rubbed its stomach. _'Is it try to tell me it's going to get some food?'_

Touching his own stomach he realized he was kind of hunger and looked back at the departing pokemon. He hoped he was right his guess of what it was saying. He couldn't think of anything else that made sense with the miming the bird had done though.

…

It turned out he was right. The Blaziken had left to get food. It returned about an hour or so later with an arm full of berries as well as what he thought as a zigzagoon. Owen hoped it was for the Blaziken as he wasn't keen on eating a raw meat. Considering how they could barely communicate he didn't think he'd be able to get the bird to understand what he meant if he asked to cook it.

Sitting down next to him the bird pokemon set the berries down where they both could reach and watched him push himself back up into a sitting position. He'd laid back down a little while after he'd been left alone. He'd not managed to find sleep this time though. His aching body had kept him up, along with his question filled mind. Once he was sitting up again the bird picked up one of the berries and handed it to him with a few gestures at his mouth and some squawking sounds he was beginning to wonder had something to do with food. The pokemon had made the same sound before it had left.

"Thanks." He told the bird as he took the berry. It had a rough feeling thick bright green out skin. There were some grooves in the skin; it almost looked to be in over lapping pieces. He though it likely a Lum berry, but if so it was bigger than he was used to seeing.

Owen attempted to get his fingers under the lapping layers of the outer skin so he could peel the fruit, but was having a hard time of it. He didn't' really have any nails to pry under to help him. He was getting a little frustrated with it when he heard some cluck and squawking sounds from Blaziken. Looking away from the berry he turned his attention to the bird. He saw it was watching him and made a gesture for the berry.

The part of him that his pride as a guy didn't want to admit he couldn't peel the berry own his own, but the rest of him that was hungry was happy enough to hand over the annoying green fruit. It didn't take the pokemon long to use its clawed fingers to pull back the green peel. Making a clucking noise it handed the berry back.

Owen muttered "Thanks" again, and then bit into the pale purple flesh the peel had been protecting. It was a little sweat, but not overly so. It had a mix of flavors to balance it out. It was rather good, better than any Lum he'd gotten at a store.

Once he finished the berry he looked over at the Blaziken. While he'd been eating it had started on the Zigzagoon. It was a bit of a gory sight, seeing the bird using it claws and beak to pull back the fur so it could get to the flesh inside. Looking away before he lost his appetite Owen picked up a few small red fruits with a yellow bottoms to eat.

As he ate he realized the cave was getting a bit dimmer then it had been. It wasn't as dark as it had been with the cover over the cave entrance, but it was getting darker. Looking towards the hole in the cave wall he wondered if the sun was going down. He couldn't really tell from where he was at. All he could see from here was what he thought was the ground outside the cave, a mix of grass and dirt and a little bit of a forest.

He was sure it was getting darker though, and the realization made him anxious. He didn't feel any fear toward the wild Blaziken that had been caring for him, but he could help but not want the night to come around again…

He jumped a little when the bird pokemon made a "Ken" sound. Looking at the pokemon he saw it had stopped eating and was watching him. Unfamiliar with what kind of expressions the bird could make, Owen wasn't sure what the look he was getting from it might mean. It didn't help that the bird had a little blood on his face and hands.

Looking at the blood wasn't doing anything to help his rising nerves so he looked away from the pokemon and back to the berries. He wasn't really feeling like eating anything else though so he let the rest where they were.

The Blaziken said something, more clucks and chirps in his ears, and got up. As it started to leave his head snapped towards it retreating back. "Don't go." He called after the pokemon.

Pausing, the Blaziken looked back at him but only for a moment before it continued on its way out of the hole. He hadn't really noticed before but the pokemon radiated a bit of warmth. Not enough to make the cave hot, but enough he felt a bit chilled now that the bird was gone. The lack of warmth helped his unease grow. He told himself even if the Blaziken didn't come back soon, that its cave should be a safe place to be. Nothing had happened the others times he'd been left alone here.

His fear was of a more base kind though, sometime deeper than any kind of fear he'd felt before this. It wasn't so easy for him to force his fear away, when he didn't really even want to think of where this fear had come from. Since his moment of panic at walking up in the cave he'd tried not to think of the Mightyena that would have killed him had the Blaziken not shown up.

Now though as the shadows grew he couldn't help but remember how the wolf like pokemon had come out of the darkness at him. The growing shadows seemed far most sinister then they really where, his mind making them seem to creep towards him. He felt like pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs as he closed his eyes. He started to do it but moving his right leg sent a pulse of pain through it. So instead he started at the opening and tried not to let him mind play tricks on him.

He hadn't been sitting there like that for too long when Blaziken came back, bring its heat with it. Seeing the pokemon sent a wave of relief through him. Maybe he'd not be left alone during the night after all. The bird pokemon placed its woven cover over the hole and then come straight over to the nest. He couldn't really see much of anything, but the pokemon had no trouble sitting down next to him without bumping him. Owen wondered how good its vision was in the dark.

The bird made a few clucking like sounds, some deeper than others, and then placed a rough hand on his bare shoulder to gently push him back. Guessing the bird pokemon wanted him to lay down Owen did so. A few moments later he heard a rustle as the Blaziken lay down beside him.

It seemed so weird to be sleeping almost naked in a nest with a wild Blaziken. He was comfortable though. The moss and feathers lining the bottom where soft and the pokemon presence helped him feel safe. His fears weren't gone, but at least for the moment they were held at bay and he allowed his eyes to close.


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

Chapter 4

Waking up the next morning was almost as confusing as waking up for the first time the previous day. But for different reasons. Owen was laying on his back with someone that felt warm pressed up to his right side, partially laying over him. One of their arms was across his chest. It almost felt as if he was being held close. It was comfortable and nice, but Owen found the whole situation odd… It had been a while since he'd last sleep with anyone.

Opening his eyes Owen lifted his head a little to gaze at the person that he was sleeping with. The fact that he wasn't sure who it was and that he was sore all over, made him a little uncomfortable… What in the world had he done yesterday? It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the low light before he could see well enough to make out the detail about the figure next to him. Only it wasn't a human, but a beige, red and yellow feathered humanoid bird pokemon.

His eyes locked onto the bird Owen just lay there unmoving. The Blaziken quiet breathing was the only sound to break the silence of the cave. With each breath the bird took Owen could feel the soft feathery chest pressed up against him rise and fall.

 _'So it hadn't been just a bad dream… It really happened.'_ He really had been caught in a landslide, attacked by a pack of Mightyena and then had a Blaziken possible save him and treat his wounds. Closing his eyes Owen let his head fall back down onto the bed of the soft nest with a quiet thump. The whole situation was crazy, much more like a dream or story someone might make up, but Owen couldn't deny it wasn't real now he was awake once more.

After a few moments Owen opened his eyes and turned his head to gaze at the Blaziken again. He knew very little about the bird pokemon. His knowledge was more towards mammal pokemon, though he'd read up about the dragon type before coming out to the mountains with his friends to study the Salamance. He knew that Blaziken were a fire type pokemon that lived in more rugged areas away from places with a lot of humans, but not much more than that. He wasn't even sure of the bird's gender, though he was inclined to think it female. It seemed to caring and nurturing to be a male. Not at it wasn't possible for it to be, but those characteristics were less common in males of most species.

As he gazed at the sleeping bird Owen wondered if behavior like this was normal. Did Blaziken often help humans or even other pokemon? Some pokemon, like the well known Chansey and Audino, helped anything sick and injured they come across, but Owen wasn't sure many other pokemon where known to behave like this.

"So why did you save me?" He asked the sleeping pokemon. Was it because he was right, and this was the Blaziken he'd found under the tree?

The Blaziken shifted little at the sound of his voice and after a moment yawned, an interesting sound coming from an avian creature. The bird sat up a little and tilted it head to look over at him. For a moment they just watched each other before the Blaziken rolled away from him and sat up.

Pushing himself up into a sitting position as well, which made him wince a little as his side was still painful, Owen watched the red and yellow bird stretch a little before getting to its feet. She, Owen decided to think of the Blaziken as female, looked down at him for moment before heading towards the cave entrance. The bird moved the woven cover then looked back at him again, making a few clucks and other bird like sounds before leaving.

Owen sat there shading his eyes till they adjusted to the light level after she'd had left and wondered what the bird had said before leaving. It was still weird to think of the pokemon talking, but he was too sure of that being the truth of things to deny what he was experiencing.

"Maybe she was saying she's getting breakfast or maybe telling me to stay put." He said to himself. If it was the latter Owen didn't think the pokemon needed to worry much. He didn't feel much like going anywhere. He did need to relive himself though… His bladder was feeling rather full. His wounds still hurt too much to want to try going anywhere though. Shifting a little Owen hopped the Blaziken would return soon. He couldn't hold it in forever. He hopped too that he could indicate what he needed to do with out to much trouble.

"I never knew how hard disabled people had it before this." Owen muttered to himself. Never before had what it fully meant sunk in. Sighing he looked down at himself. Owen could see his many bruises on his torso looked a little worse than they had yesterday. They didn't ache any worse then he'd expect them to though.

Turning his olive green eyes to the dry looking leave stuck to his left side Owen gently pressed down against the wound underneath. Not for long though as it made the bite wound throb. Still he thought the pain wasn't anywhere as bad as it could be right now. It could be a lot worse if they'd gotten infected. He wondered if the berry juices the Blaziken had squeezed on the wounds did more than just numb the pain or if he was just very, very lucky they all seemed to be healing fine. At least he thought they were. He'd never had wounds this bad before, but had gotten an infected cut once when he was younger. He didn't feel the burning ache he remembered from then around any of the bites.

Hearing a sound at the cave entrance, something like soft scraping against stone, Owen looked up from his injuries to see what it was. Expecting to see the Blaziken he was surprised to see instead a little Torchic in the cave mouth. He thought maybe it was just as surprised to see him as he was to see it, as its large dark eyes seemed to get even bigger when it noticed him.

After a moment the little orange and yellow chick seemed puffed up a little, fanning out its little yellow wings slightly, and made a funny little high pitched squawk at him. Owen had the feeling it was trying to look intimidating or something like that, but it looked a little too cute for that effect.

As Owen watched the little bird, he wondered how many of the birds line was around here. So far he'd seen three of this pokemon's species, two Blaziken and now a Torchic. Could the birds live in family groups? Plenty of pokemon did so it wouldn't really surprise him. It was a little unnerving to think about though. Who knew how many pokemon there was in the area. He didn't think he was in any danger though, at least not as long as he didn't seem a threat to them anyway.

After a little while of staring at him the Torchic took a few steps into the cave, slowly approaching the nest he was sitting in. When it got there the little chick hopped up onto the rim and made another little squawk at him.

Owen didn't feel particularly in danger from the little bird. He knew any pokemon could be dangerous but to him if seemed the chick was just stoking its own ego by coming over. "Feel braver now?" he asked it, in a low non threatening sounding voice. The orange chick couldn't understand of course but the tone should have an effect on it anyway.

"Chic?" The little bird chirped at him in response. After a moment the little chick hopped into the next nest with him and walked over to him. As the little pokemon notice the wrapped up wounds, bruises and scratches that covered him it let out a odd little sounds, almost like a warble from deep in its chest.

The sound almost seemed sad, and it brought his previous thoughts back to mind. Was the little pokemon upset he was hurt? It seemed that way to Owen. The little orange and yellow chick didn't look so puffed up anymore and was staring at a bruise. A little lost in thought Owen didn't notice when the Blaziken had returned. He jumped a little when it made a few clucks and the like from next to him. Turning his head he saw the pokemon had come back with an arm full of things, mostly berries and leaves. A number of the leaves where the kind it had used to wrap up his arm.

The Blaziken set the things down by the nest and scooped up the Torchic. The little chick made a protesting sounding squawk, to with the Blaziken just clicked her beak before heading out of the cave. She returned a few minutes later, minus the chick. Owen wondered where it had taken the little chick. He got the feeling it likely wasn't supposed to have wondered in here.

As it she walked back towards him Owen decided now was as good a time as any to try expressing his need to relieve himself. "I need to pee." He told the bird. As he spoke he gestured down towards his groin area. The Blaziken paused and tilted its head to the side a little as it clucked something in response. It looked down at where he'd been pointing, but Owen wasn't sure if he was getting anything he was trying to saw.

"I need to pee… umm." He said again as he racked his brain trying to think of something to make her understand. He couldn't think of much so tried to 'mime' something coming out down there but wiggling his fingers around.

The bird though just said, "Ken?" and knelt down to peer towards the area. After a moment she reached with her taloned hand towards his grey underwear.

"Wait." Owen said grabbing the hand. "That's not… I just need to pee."

The Blaziken stopped and looked at him. After a moment she pulled her hand away and stood up, pulling him up to his feet as well. Owen hissed and winced a little in pain, but the bird was holding him up so little pressure was on his leg. She led him slowly to the back of the cave. There he found saw in the dim light a large shell. There was nothing in it at the moment, but a faint smell came off it. The bird motioned towards it then at his groin while making some soft squawks and clucks.

"I hope this means you've figured out what I was trying to say." Owen told the bird. He wished she wasn't watching him though. Still he had to go even if he was watched. The Blaziken made 'ken' sound again as he pulled down his underwear but other than that didn't do anything to stop him for peeing. When he was done and had pulled his underwear back up the Blaziken took him back over to the nest and helped him sit back down.

Sitting down next to him the Blaziken gestured for his arm and Owen held it out for her to take hold of. The bird pulled off the leaves as gently as possible, but it still hurt a little. Once they were off the Blaziken wash off the little blood and blue goo on the wound then peered at the bite. She made some deep cluck like sounds, but didn't appear concerned. At least not as far as Owen could tell. It was a little difficult reading a birds expressions. They were not familiar to him. After a moment of looking and a few gentle prods the Blaziken squeezed a blue berry over the wound, letting the juices cover it like before, then wrapped some fresh long leaves around it.

The Blaziken repeated this with the bite on his left side, only adding a little of the massed up berry to keep the large leaf in place. As she worked Owen found his mind wondering a little, he wondered how she knew what berries and the like to use. As the birds could talk he wondered if it was knowledge that was passed down from one gen to the next. The old bird had certainly seemed to have know what it was doing with his leg. Had it may be taught this Blaziken?

Feeling the brace on his leg loosen Owen looked down to see the bird was taking it off. He guessed it was so it could clean the wound there too. Still he felt a little tense as the leaves where pulled away; his leg really ached without being messed with. Owen wasn't really surprised to see the bruising looked worse today, he'd had the bone set yesterday after all. The bite, about four or so inches above his ankle, though didn't' look any worse than the others.

The Blaziken made the same kind of sounds it had before when it had gazed at his arm as it cleaned the wound. The bird been gentle with the other bites as she'd cleaned them, but Owen could tell she was trying to be even more carful of causing pain now. For some reason it touched him, that the pokemon could care about whether he was in pain or not. Noticing he was gazing at her, the Blaziken paused and cooed at him. Unable to help it Owen smiled at her. He thought he was beginning to rather like the sound of her coo. Even if most of the time he'd heard it he'd been scared or in pain.

Once the Blaziken had rewrapped his leg she carefully put the brace back on as well and then gestured towards the remaining berries as it made the same squawk like sound it had made the day before. He was growing more and more sure it had something to do with food. Looking at the pile, Owen noticed that this time there were more than just berries. There were a number of leafy greens, some of which he recognized and others he didn't, as well as some roots and nuts. Knowing that pokemon could eat things humans couldn't Owen was going to stick to things he recognized… but the Blaziken seemed to really want him to eat a couple tiny purple roots, almost like little carrots, that he'd never seen before. She kept putting them back in his hands as she made the 'food' noise.

"All right… I'll eat them." Owen said giving in. Using a little of the water he had for drinking he cleaned the roots a little more and then took a bit of the first one. It was unexpectedly bitter and Owen couldn't help but make a face as he swallowed it down. Owen heard the Blaziken click its beak at him and muttered, "I don't see you eating the nasty things…" Which was true, the bird was eating a Peacha. Still he finished the roots, and hoped they wouldn't make him sick…

Once he was done the Blaziken make a happy cluck like sound and handed him a peeled Lum. It helped get the bitter taste out of his mouth, for which Owen was happy.

Owen finished eating before the Blaziken and he found himself watching the bird eat. He didn't find it unnerving when the bird didn't have blood on her beak and hands. After a few moments he was just looking at the Blaziken, his eyes taking in its form. He'd never seen a Blaziken up close before this so couldn't help but be curious. As he had been watching her eat berries his gaze first was on her red beak, with its odd V crest that masked most of the pokemon's face. The feathers on birds head where an off white, beige color. Most were short but a few on the back of its neck, a little above her shoulders, were large and long. They gave the pokemon an appearance of having 'feathery hair'.

His eyes followed the beige feather down the pokemon's neck to her chest where a feathery yellow diamond was. It caused the thicker beige feathers into an upside down Vish look. The off white feathers appear a bit flared, making the area look fluffy. If the Blaziken was a human, she'd likely have had something to say about him studying her chest area. She wasn't though so he didn't need to worry, though the thought made him wonder what she look like with feathery breast…

After a moment Owen let his eyes look over the rest of the birds body. Below the patch of yellow the feathers change to fine red ones. They covered the rest of her torso and most of her legs and arms. A little past her elbows the feathers stopped and thick darker beige skin could be seen the rest of the way down the arm to her taloned hands . A little below the knees the red feathers turned to yellow again in a jagged line. They stayed yellow down the rest of its legs, though around the ankles the feather got a bit bigger, giving it a flared out look. The Blaziken's feet, partly hidden by the flared yellow feathers were bird like talons, thought shaped a little different than most birds feet as it ran and walked in a more human like manner.

Owen hadn't realized the Blaziken had stopped eating and had been watching him for a little bit now as he was looking at her. It wasn't till she shifted a little that he looked up and saw she was watching him. He wasn't sure why exactly, she was a pokemon after all, but still he felt a little embarrassed to realize she'd seen him looking her over.

"Ken?" She inquired as she gazed at him, her head tilted a little. After a few moments he got the feeling she doing what he'd done. That she was curiously looking at him. Maybe she was just doing it as he'd done it, but for some reason it made him feel... he wasn't sure just what. It wasn't embarrassment. He liked his body well enough he'd never felt the need to hide it. Maybe awkward? Before this having a pokemon see him without any clothing wouldn't have bothered him. But the way the Blaziken was behaving felt to 'human' to him. He saw and intelligence there now that he'd not have seen before. He wasn't sure what to thing or feel about what she was doing.

Looking away from the Blaziken Owen tried to find the clothes he'd taken off yesterday. He felt the need to cover up. He found them quickly, in a pile next to the nest to his right. He didn't remember putting them there so wondered if the Blaziken had. Picking up the shirt he pulled it towards himself. He wanted to put it on, but the shirt almost completely covered in dried mud and blood. Something he'd not realized yesterday. It was stiff and crusty feeling in his hands. Looking at it he wasn't sure he really wanted it on after all… It would just keep reminding him of why it was bloody.

Torn between wanting to have something on and the repulsion he felt for the dried blood Owen just stared at the shirt. Before he could make up his mind what to do, the Blaziken stood up. Looking away from his shirt he watched as she left the cave again. Left alone in the cave he looked back at the shirt before dropping it back where he'd found it. The blood really did bother him too much to want to put it back on.

...

Owen was starting to feel restless. It had been hours since the Blaziken had left. Or at least it felt that way to him. All he had to keep track of time was the change of light from the cave mouth. Which he'd been watching for most of the time he'd been alone. Owen couldn't see too much from where he was, but he could hear a number of sounds from outside the cave. It almost seemed busy out there, but nothing ever passed by the cave mouth. Not even the little Torchic that had wondered in before.

Letting out a frustrated sigh Owen looked away from the hole in the cave wall. Looking at it was just making his desire to get out of the cave worse. He didn't like being trapped in the cave much. Especially when the only thing keeping him from leaving was his own injuries. He'd never been so helpless before. He didn't like the feeling at all. There was one thing that bothered him more than that though. The solitude. Being alone wasn't something that had normally bothered him in the past, but sitting alone in the cave with nothing to keep his mind occupied wasn't helping him any.

The feelings of fear where creeping back into him. They weren't as bad as last night, the light shinning in through the open cave mouth helped keep the shadows from seeming menacing . He tried not to think too much about the Mighyena, and wasn't having too much trouble keeping him mind off the wolf like pokemon at the moment. What his mind returning too were his friends. He had no idea if they'd gotten to safety or not. He knew they'd all been safely on the other side of the landslide he'd been caught up in, but couldn't help but wonder what had happened after that.

He'd thought where he'd landed hadn't been far from where they'd set up camp. He could have been wrong of course, but a part of him felt sure of it. That's why the fact none of them had found him while he waited by the stream bothered him so much. He knew Jake, even as disagreeable about things as he often was, would have been out looking for him the first moment he had been able too. Tom likely at his side. Between their two pokemon, Primeape and Growlithe, it shouldn't have been too difficult to locate him.

"So why hadn't they shown up?" He wondered out loud.

"Ken?"

Startled Owen looked back over at the cave entrance. The Blaziken was stand just outside and was peering in at him. Seeing her seemed to cheer him up, and for the moment his worries about his friends and other fears faded to the back of his mind. The feeling didn't last long though as after a few moments of watching him the Blaziken started to leave again.

"Wait! Don't go yet." He called after the bird. The Blaziken clearly couldn't understand him but his call made her pause and look back in again. She clucked something at him, something he couldn't understand in turn. It made his frustration return. "I don't want to be left in here. Being alones getting to me. I can't keep the thoughts of something happening to Sarah, Jake or Tom out of my head. Some things had to have happened… There's no way they'd not have come looking for me."

While he was venting his worries the Blaziken had come back into the cave. She bent down next to the nest and after he'd fallen quiet had started cooing again. Owen doubted she'd understood a word, but guessed she was reacting to his body language. Pokemon seemed to be able to easily pick up on things, even when their trainer tried to hid it. He knew his Sawsbuck had not trouble sensing his moods.

What the bird pokemon did next caught him off guard though. He was scooped up into the Blaziken's strong arms, not that much unlike the Torchic had been, and was carried out of the cave. They'd come out of the cave on a wide mountain ledge. Peering around a bit Owen could see a few other openings he guessed let to other caves, as well as a couple paths leading farther up the mountain. There was also another tail leading down the mountain. That's the way the Blaziken started to take him.

Wondering where it was taking him, Owen's olive green eyes turned for the scenery back to the pokemon. He didn't feel particularly worried, not with her still quietly cooing. He did feel a bit awkward again though. It felt strange to be carried around like this, not to mention the fact he was still in nothing but his underwear. He felt a little self-conscious of the fact.

The path down the mountain had lead to a large open area. The ground was mostly hard packed earth with some patches of smooth flat stone in a few spots. Down here too there were a number of caves. From one of them flowed a shallow stream. It ran across the clearing, almost dividing it in two, towards the thin line of trees that slowly thickened into a forest.

In the clearing were number of few other pokemon. An older Blaziken that Owen though might be the one that had sent his bone yesterday, and a couple Combusken. The older bird just glanced at him for a moment before going on its way, but the two Combusken had their amber eyes glued to him. Both seemed to start clucking at the same time.

The Blaziken responded in like manner and after a few moments the two yellow and orange somewhat humanoid birds, stopped staring and went into one of the caves. Once they were gone the Blaziken clucked something lowly to herself. Owen wondered what had been said as they themselves entered one of the caves. It was larger than Blaziken's cave, thought didn't look much different. Inside there was another Combusken and three Torchic. One of the little chicks ran towards them making excited squawks. Looking down at it Owen wondered if it was the same Torchic from earlier. It was hard to tell as the other two looked the same as this one to him, but he had a feeling it was from its attitude and behavior.

The Blaziken used her foot to gentle push the little chick to the side and set Owen down on the leafy mat the birds where sitting on. She said something to the Combusken and then clucked at him before leaving. Owen watched her go then looked back at the four pokemon. Save for the excited Torchic, which was hoping up and down next to him, the other birds seemed as surprised with him being dropped off with them as he was to be there.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

At first the bird pokemon, save for the Torchic bouncing around next to him in excitement, just watched Owen. The other two chicks weren't as fearless and or nearly as curious. After a few moments of staring at each other one of the Torchic hurried over to the Combusken and hid behind the orange and yellow humanoid bird. The other remained where it was looking back and forth between the hiding chick and the excited one. It would start to move towards the Combusken only to stop and look back as the excited chick called out.

The Combusken its self didn't seem to know what to do either. It kept looking at the cave mouth like it hoped this was a joke and the Blaziken and would be back any second to take him back. After realizing that wasn't going to happen the large bird let out a sigh like sound. Almost a 'why me' kind of noise.

Owen couldn't help but give the pokemon a sheepishly look in response and ran a hand though his dirty green hair. He didn't know for sure, but he guessed the bird was a babysitter, or should it be 'chicksitter' for the young birds. "Sorry, didn't mean to make your job harder." He told the bird in what he hoped was a friendly manor.

The yellow and orange humainoid bird blinked its big amber eyes at him and clucked back something. After a moment it looked away from him back to the chicks. It squawked at the one hopping up and down next to him, and made a gesture towards the other two Torchics. Whatever the Combusken had told it, the little orange chick didn't seem to want to do it. It puffed up a bit like it had earlier when it first saw him and chirped back at the larger bird.

The Combusken clucked and clicked its beak as it said something to the chick, but the Torchic still didn't seem to want to do as told. It moved behind Owen and let out shrill wobble like sound. With a shake of its head the bird gave up and sighed again.

"Chic!" The Torchic happily called out as it come back out and turned its dark beady eyes on Owen.

Watching it Owen had a feeling it was a real handful for its sitter. He wondered how often it didn't want to do as it was told? As he looked at the little bird he felt sure it must have run off when the Combusken wasn't looking earlier, and ended up at the cave. Turning his eyes towards the Combusken he noted it seemed to be keeping an eye on this chick a little more than the other two. He couldn't say for sure it wasn't because it was bouncing around him though. Likely had to do with both it being close to him and which chick it was.

Reaching down slowly Owen placed couple fingers on its head, just in front of the large yellow crest feathers. The tiny feathers that covered the chick were softer than he expected them to be. Before he really thought about what he was doing he was petting the chicks head. The little bird seemed to like it as it leaned into the touch. He could see the Combusken was really watching them, but it didn't seem upset with what he was doing so didn't pay it too much mind.

"I'm glad you're not afraid of me." He told the chick as he stoked it. He found he really liked the little chick. It might be a trouble maker, but Owen was glad it was. He liked its attitude.

The Torchic tilted it had a little and watched Owen with it large dark eyes before and chirped something happy sounding up at him. Unable to help it the man smiled back to the chick. A soft rustling drew his eyes towards the chick that had been standing between them and the Combusken. It was a lot closer now and was looking at the happy chick he was petting, thought keep a wary eye on him too. The chick he was petting cheeped happily at it and darted around the little bird. Using its head the Torchic pushed other chick closer still. It made an unhappy sound, but didn't really fight it.

"Hey, no pushing." Owen told the chick and pulled it away from the other. The Torchic squirmed in his hold and Owen quickly let go again. He'd just reacted and forgot for a moment they where wild pokemon that might not react well to being picked up. The Torchic didn't seem to be bothered at all though by it. The only thing it seemed to not like was being reprimanded. It seemed even if it couldn't understand what he'd said, the Torchic still got what he'd meant.

Glancing over at the Combusken that was watching them Owen looked for any sign that it was upset he'd picked up the chick for a moment. He couldn't really tell what it was thinking though. It's face seemed expressionless, or at least he didn't know the bird well enough to pick anything up. A squawk from one of the two chicks before him drew his eyes back to the chicks. One of them, he guessed the timid one, was flat on its stomach with the other right behind it once again.

"You really are a trouble maker." Owen said. He'd only taken his eyes off the chick for a few seconds but that had been enough time apparently.

Both chicks looked up at him, and the trouble maker chirped something. "Yes, I'm talking to you." He told the chick. He doubted it understood a word, or it likely would be so happy he was talking to it. Looking at the other chick he slowly reached towards it to help it back up. Its eyes were glued to his hand but it let him help it back to its feet. Once it was up the energetic Torchic tugged on the feathers of one of its tiny wings and then chirped something before darting off around Owen as fast as it could go.

After a moment of seemingly trying to decide if it wanted to run around him, the chick ran after it and soon the two were running all around the large cave. They ran around him and the Combusken a good number of times, often calling out to the third chick to join them. It would sometimes respond with a click of its beak, but refused to come out from behind the Combusken.

…

A few hours later found Owen with two sleeping Torchic. The more timid one was curled up next to him while the other had decided his lap was a good place to sleep. Absent mindedly he stroked the little orange chick. The chicks had run around for a lot longer then he'd have expected before they wore themselves out. The other chick was standing by the Combusken, though wasn't hiding so much now. It was looking at the two sleeping chicks. From how it was blinking often Owen had the feeling it was tired it's self, even if it hadn't run around to much. In the end it had joined the other too in play, but had keep close to the Combusken even then.

The Combusken clucked something to it. It chick shook it's little head and then the humanoid bird clucked something else to the chick. With one last look at the other Torchic with him the chick settled down next to bird and closed its eyes. It didn't take too long for the chicks breathing to soften with slumber.

Now that the three chicks where sleeping, Owen could feel the Combuskens amber eyes on him. It had looked at him from time to time as the chicks had played but its full attention hadn't been on him then. Now it was really studding him, with a thoughtful look. Now and then it would look at the two sleeping Torchic. Before Owen had thought maybe it wanted them to keep away from him, but now it didn't seem bothered but it. At least not that he could tell.

"Com…" It said quietly to its self after a few minutes of staring at him. Getting up carefully as not to disturb the sleeping chick the Combusken walked over to one of the cave walls. There were a number of long leaves, grass's and the like piled there that he'd not noticed before in his quick look around of the cave when the Blaziken had first dropped him off.

The yellow and orange bird picked up an armful of the grasses and what might be a rolled up mat like what they were sitting on. The Combusken carried it back over and sat back down by the sleeping chick. It started to sort out the grasses and then unrolled the bundle. He saw it was a mat similar to the one they were sitting on, just not as big. It wasn't finished yet though and Owen watched with interest as the pokemon picked up a piece of the thick grass and started to weave it in.

The bird didn't seem to have nearly as much difficulty making the mat with it claw like fingers as Owen thought it would have. As the Combusken worked he noticed it had hands much like Blazikens, but it was hard to see them as the feathers covered all but the inch or so long claws at the end of each of its three short fingers.

Owen watched it work for near half an hour before the bird realized he was watching it work with more interest than to just stave off boredom. It paused for a moment to look at him. Picking up a few pieces of the long thick grass the bird held them out toward him and clucked something to him.

Owen looked between the offered grass and the Combusken. His best guess as to what it was doing was that it was offering to show him how to weave the grasses together. Reaching out slowly Owen took the offered materials. He looked at the thick grass for a moment then back to the humanoid bird pokemon.

The Combusken taught him the best it could how to weave the grass into a mat without being able to talk to him and explain things. It most involved slowly showing him how to do it. It started off by picking up a few new pieces of grass and starting a new mat so he could copy what it did. The Combusken was incredibly patient and didn't seem to mind doing things over a few times till he got it. Once Owen had gotten the hang of what to do the bird went back to the mat it was working on, though now and then looked over to see how he was doing.

The grass weaving he was doing wasn't nearly as good as the Combuskens, but Owen was having a little fun. It wasn't as hard as he'd thought it would be, though it was time consuming. It was obvious it would take a while to make something like the mat.

He was feeling rather happy the bird had shown him how to weave the grass's too. Even if it hadn't ended up kind of fun, that alone was worth the effort he was putting into it. Owen felt the Combusken had to not mind his presence to much, and maybe even have accepted him being there. If it hadn't wanted him around, he couldn't imagine it showing him how to weave.

Owen had gotten his weaving about a foot long when the chick on his lap shifted and let out a little yawn as it woke up. It looked up at him with beady eyes before looking over at the weaving he'd been doing. "Chic?" It carefully got up and hoped to the ground to inspect his work. It lost interest a few moments later though as a Blaziken entered the cave with a bunch of berries, leafy greens, and the like. Way faster then he'd have though it could move; the chick was over by the Blaziken and running around the evolved pokemon while chirping.

Owen recognized it as 'his Blaziken'. Like when he'd been dropped off the bird used her foot to push the chick out of the way and started into the cave. Looking at the woven grasses she tilted her head and clucked out a question. Combusken responded with some clucks and clicks of its beak and the evolved bird nodded as it set down the food. By now all the Torchics had woken up and ran over to the pile of berries. The energetic Torchic used its beak to pick out a peacha that was almost too heavy for it to lift and waddled it over to Owen.

"Chic!" it happily called out after setting it on his foot.

Looking at the little chick Owen clucked a little and picked up the berry, "Thanks." He told the little orange chic as it ran back over to the pile and got its self an equally large pink berry.

The Blaziken made a coo like sound at the sight as she sat down next to him as he picked up the pink berry. Unlike the previous times she'd cooed it sounded more like a laugh this time. Owen like the sound and found himself gazing over at her. He though she looked happy, though it was hard to tell for sure. After a few moments she tilted her head to look at him as well and Owen smiled quickly before he started to eat. The bird couldn't exactly smile back at him, the pokemons beak just didn't allow for it, but her eyes reflected its happiness well enough as she ate some of the berries and nuts.

As he ate Owen wondered at how he was feeling now. He'd obviously didn't like being alone so had wanted the pokemon around, but he was rather enjoying being around all the birds. He didn't think it was just because it was company. He'd liked watching the playing chicks. The energetic one had made him smile time and again. He'd even started to like the Combusken for it showing him how to weave.

Gazing around at all the birds, he wondered if there intelligence was part of it. The more he watched the birds and heard them taking to one another the more they intrigued him.

As Owen was finishing his last berry another Blaziken entered the cave. His eyes where instantly drawn toward the pokemon. It was one he'd not seen before and felt a little nervous. It was a little bigger than any he'd seen before. Not only was it taller, but seemed a bit more one the muscular side as well. Even its V shaped crest over its forehead was a few inches longer than the Blaziken's next to him.

The cave went quiet as the Blaziken noticed him. At first it just stood near the cave entrance and stared at him. After a moment it looked over at the Blaziken sitting next to him and clucked something at her. For a few minutes the two humanoid birds clucked and squawked at each other before the larger Blaziken looked back at him, i's gaze intense. Its face didn't show any obvious hostility, but he wasn't sure that meant much. Not when he couldn't read its expressions anyway.

After a moment it clucked something, and Owen again wished he could understand the birds. He didn't like not knowing what the two had said, not when it was likely about him. The large bird came closer and bent down to get a better look at him. Owen didn't like it too much. Now that it was so near the intense look in its was even more unnerving. The only reason he wasn't afraid was the Blaziken next to him wasn't acting worried. He believed she'd not let anyone hear hurt him.

After a moment the larger Blaziken reached out with a taloned finger to touch the leafs wrapped around his left arm. It clucked something and his Blaziken nodded and clucked back in response. Its eye's moved from his arm to his bruise covered chest, and for a moment Owen though it was going to touch those too, but then a series of cheeps and chirps pulled its attention away. The Torchic that seemed to like him had come over and was looking up at the larger Blaziken. The bird tilted its head and looked over at Owen as it clucked something back before picking up the chick. The Torchic twisted around in the Blaziken arms and chirped at him.

As the larger Blaziken left with the chick Owen watched them go. He wondered if it was one of the chicks parents. If so he hoped it wouldn't keep the chick away from him. He had no real clue what the bird felt about him. Its gaze was intense, but didn't know if that just how it was or if it came from a dislike. Frowning a little he looked away from the cave mouth. It didn't him any good worrying about things he had no control over.

His Blaziken had gotten up while his mind was preoccupied and he saw she'd gathered up the grass he'd been weaving together and had put the stuff back over by the wall. At the moment she was putting the leftover food in a shell. She place that over by crafting materials too. When she was finished she came back over and clucked something to him before pulling him to his feet. From there she pulled him into her feathery arms.

Being carried again felt just as awkward as the first time. It also made Owen realize the pokemon strength. She didn't seem fazed by his weight at all and carried him easily. He wasn't a large guy, but neither was he a toothpick. Maybe it bothered him as he didn't think he could carry the Blaziken around like this. He didn't know if she'd weigh close to what he did, but they were similar in size.

Outside the cave were six Combusken and a couple more Blaziken in the clearing. The Blaziken seemed to be heading towards the cave they'd exited. Most of the birds looked at him, thought only a couple said anything to them as they went thought the clearing.

As they went Owen looked around at all the bird pokemon interest, even though he felt even more awkward but the looks he got from them. At least none of their gazes matched the Blaziken from before.

Owen wasn't sure if all the Combusken he could see where new or not, but he was sure this was the first time he's seen the other two Blaziken. Neither was old and he could see the one with the Torchic heading up the mountain side path. So that meant there was at least five Blaziken, seven Combusken and three Torchic's in this… flock? There were birds still, even if humanoid in shape in the higher forms, so Owen thought the group would be a flock. He wondered if fifteen pokemon in the group would be large or not. He really didn't know much about the pokemon so couldn't say what was normal.

As the Blaziken carried him up the path Owen noticed the sun was starting to set, painting the clouds with reds and purples. It didn't surprise him to realize how much time had past with the Torchic. He'd enjoyed watching the chicks play and then found the weaving enjoyable. Much more then he'd expected. He'd mostly been interested in watching the Combusken work, but hadn't wanted to pass up learning from the pokemon either. Learning about pokemon was what he did after all. He just hadn't thought to learn from them.

When they got back to Blaziken's cave the bird set Owen back down in the nest. The supplies needed to clean and dress his wounds where already waiting next to it. Sitting down before him the red and yellow bird reached out for him arm. Without any hesitation Owen held it out for the pokemon. He was a little surprised at how fast he'd gotten used to this and just how much he was already starting to trust the Blaziken. He just couldn't imagine her harming him in anyway. He trusted her nearly as much as his Sawsbuck.

Thinking of the buck he looked at the sky he could through the cave mouth. He really hoped the deer was alright where ever he was. He'd gotten the Sawsbuck as a Deerling for his first pokemon from his uncle on his thirteenth birthday. His parents hadn't let him get an official starter as they hadn't wanted him leaving home; they'd thought it was important he get a good education. They'd said when Owen was finished with school and older he could train and battle pokemon if he wanted. He hadn't liked it then, but now he was kind of glad for it. If he'd been out training pokemon he might not have gone to college. If that had happened then Owen wasn't sure he'd have gotten into studying pokemon.

He'd found it the class interesting in school, but it was thanks to one of his professors letting him come on a research trip that he truly got into it. It was one thing to read and theorize about pokemon, but totally another to go out an really see things first hand. And his Sawsbuck had been there with him through it all. He wanted to think the pokemon would be safe with his friends, but as he didn't know if they were safe he found little reassurance in the thought.

"Ken?"

Pulled out of his depressing thoughts Owen realized the Blaziken was finished with his arm and side. All that was left to do was his leg. The bird was looking at him though and Owen wondered if his worry about his Sawsbuck and friends had shown on his face.

"I'm alright." He told her and tried to smile. It didn't fully reach his eyes though.

The Blaziken eyed him for a few moments longer before it got to work on his leg. It ached as she untied the brace and removed the leaves wrapped around it. It hurt and closed his eyes for a moment till it got better then looked down. It really didn't seem much different than this morning. After the Blaziken cleaned off the blue berry juice from the wound Owen noticed the bite wounds all seemed to be scabbed over. There wasn't any blood on the leaf and it hadn't bled any when the Blaziken had washed it either.

The Blaziken make a pleased sounding cluck and then squeezed a little juice over the wound, about half what she'd been putting on it till now, and wrapped a fresh leaf around it before putting the brace back on. Once she was done Owen looked over at the shell he'd peed in earlier. He needed to relive himself again. And he likely should do it before it got any darker in here. The cave was getting quickly getting dimmer and dimmer.

"I need to go again. Can you help me?" Owen asked looking back at the bird. As he spook Owen motioned to his groin and then to the shell again.

The Blaziken clucked something and got up. She helped him to his feet and helped him over to the shell once more. She watched as his pulled down his underwear again, and seemed to eye his package. Or at least it seemed she was. He wasn't sure the pokemon knew just what it was she was studying. Still it made him feel a little flustered. When he was finished quickly pulled his underwear up again and let the Blaziken take him back over to the nest and set him back down. Once he was settled she went over to the cave mouth and put up the cover. The cave instantly darkened to the point her had a hard time seeing anything.

Like night before the Blaziken had no trouble come back over and laid down next to him. Owen felt a gentle tug on his arm and laid down as well. The bird rolled over a little and draped a feathered arm across his chest. He could feel the pokemon's feathers on his bare skin and felt the heat the pokemon radiated. It reminded him of how they been when he woke up. He kind of enjoyed the feeling of her arm over his chest. Part of him didn't think he should like it, or that he should move out of the pokemon's hold, but ignored the it and let himself relax as he closed his eyes. He'd worry about it after he'd woken up.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Owen held his once tan shirt up to look at it in the sun light before he dipped it back into the water and started to rub the material together some more. He was sitting in his briefs by the stream that ran through the clearing below his caretakers cave. After having spent a little over a week here, he'd finally managed to express his desire to wash his clothes and himself to her.

In the time he'd been here he'd started to understand her and the other birds a bit. Owen couldn't follow their conversations, he still had a ways to go for that yet, but he did understand what a number of there clucks and squawks meant now. Owen had the feeling the birds he was around a lot too where slowly understanding what he was saying better.

Owen was also getting better at telling the birds apart from one another, and there genders. He wasn't completely sure about birds he only saw from a distance now and then, but he could recognize those he was around often. Like his caretaker and the Torchic and Combusken that watched them. Each of the birds had their own personalities that made telling them apart easier with time.

Wringing out his wet shirt Owen held it up again to look at the brown stain. He could hardly call it tan anymore. He doubted even if he had a washing machine and a good soap that he'd be able to do anything about that though. With a sigh he laid it out next to his pants to dry and then looked around for the Blaziken. She led him over to the stream and then watched what he was doing for a bit before getting called way by some of the other Blaziken.

Owen spotted her a little ways off with the old female Blaziken that had set his leg. He'd seen her enough times to know she was important. All the birds respected her. He wasn't sure if it was just because of her age or something more. He'd seen her mate, another Blaziken just as old and gray looking as she, but it didn't get quite the same treatment. So Owen thought it likely had to do more with who she was then just her age.

The two birds seemed to be talking and Owen watched them for a moment before he started to clean himself in the stream. He'd have liked real bath but still was happy to get clean. He'd used some of the drinking water he'd had a couple time to clean up a little, but that could only help so much.

Picking up the nut shell he had Owen used it to wet his hair and clean it the best he could of dirt and grime. He wished he'd something to wash it with to really get it all out, but this was helping. He'd just rinsed his hair out for the fourth time and was starting to scrub away the dirt on his arms when he felt something tug lightly on his wet green hair. Turning his head a little he looked up at the Blaziken. She clicked her beak at him as she looked at his hair. Grabbing the shell she filled it back up and then dumped the water over his head again.

Having closed his eyes just in time Owen reached up and wiped his face dry then smiled a little. If she could smirk Owen was sure the Blaziken would be. He would see it in her eyes.

After a few moments she filled up the shell again. She didn't dump it over him again but instead down his back slowly as she rubbed at dirt there.

Torn between letting her help him wash or getting her to stop, Owen sat there unmoving. He didn't exactly mind that she was doing this. It was actually sort of nice. He enjoyed the feeling. But that was also why he wasn't sure if he should stop it…

In the end though, Owen choose not to stop her. Twisting around a little to see her better he said, "Thanks", as he went back to washing of his arms. It was a word the Blaziken understood and she seemed happy to hear it.

Once all of his skin that was visible was clean, the humanoid bird reached for his underwear and tugged on it a little with a questioning cluck. He could understand what she wanted to know well enough, even if her question wasn't in words so much as a meaning combine with the tug. Looking down at his briefs he wondered if he should take them off to clean down there too… He knew it would make little difference to the pokemon if he was running in his birthday suit or not, his near nakedness showed him that, but he wasn't sure if he'd be comfortable with it. It had taken Owen a while to stop feeling self-conscious when his caretaker seemed to be looking at him.

"Ken?" She asked again and Owen nodded.

"Might as well get completely clean." Reaching down he tugged them off slowly. It wasn't like she'd not seen his equipment before. She had a tendency to look at it when he relived himself with her around. He wasn't sure if it was just her curiosity or something else.

She helped him pull the underwear all the way off, careful of the brace still on his leg, before her gaze predictably fell to what was between his legs. Shifting one of his legs a little Owen wondered what it was she found so interesting. If it was just because it was something she'd not seen before she'd have lost interest by now wouldn't she? It hadn't taken her long to get used to his clothing or the look of his skin… Or did the bird do it as she realized it made him feel flustered. Looking into her eyes, Owen thought the Blaziken was looking a little smug.

"Evil bird…" He muttered to himself, trying to ignore her the best he could. He got to work on cleaning his nether regions quickly so he could get covered again. He wasn't so sure now this was the best of ideas. What if the other birds come over and started to stare as well? Or even worse, what if his friends showed up now looking for him?

Owen shook his head. Now he was just being ridicules. Someone wouldn't turn up now just because he had taken them off to wash up.

He likely shouldn't have ignored the Blaziken though. If he'd been paying a little more attention he'd have realized what she was doing before he felt her rough clawed hand gently rubbed along his inner thigh, bushing against his balls a little, in a attempt to keep helping him.

Startled Owen pulled away from the touch and reached for the taloned hand. Her gentle touch had sent a shiver thought him. And not just because it had taken him by surprise. Holding the Blaziken's hand in a crushing grip he just stared at the bird for a few moments before he let go and grabbed his underwear. He quickly pulled them back on, ignoring the ache it cause in his leg because of his haste, and then grabbed his walking stick. A sturdy piece of wood with a branching offshoot at the end he could put under his arm. It had been given to him by the Blaziken a few days ago. Not that he'd used it much. She didn't seem to want him up and walking around. It made him wonder why she'd even given it to him in the first place.

Now though she didn't stop Owen as he used it to get to his feet or made his way toward the path leading up to her cave. She just watched him go with confusion evident in her eyes. She called to Owen when he was near the path, a low apologetic series of clucks and bawk sounds, but Owen keep going. He knew she likely didn't understand why he was upset, and he wasn't sure he'd have been able to explain it to her even if they could understand each other perfectly. It wasn't that she'd touched him that bothered him, but his own reaction to it. It was one of the things he'd been worrying about more and more while he'd been here. He thought he was becoming sexually attracted to the Blaziken that cared for him.

Absentmindedly he thought he should come up with a name for her, so he could think of her as something other than his caretaker or his Blaziken. Right now though, he had too much on his mind to come up with something.

When Owen reached the cave he went over to the nest and sat down, letting his walking stick fall were it would next to him. "What's going on with me?" He whispered as he pressed his face against his good knee. He'd heard of people that develop feelings for the one that took care of them. Was that what was going on with him? Why he enjoyed the bird being around him so much? Was he only feeling this way because of some mixed up feelings of gratitude?

Owen didn't know… He just knew that he liked the Blaziken more and more with each passing day. It had started off from the small things she'd done for him, like how she'd been gentle when changing his 'bandages' the first few days or would help him peel open a Lum berry if it was giving him a hard time. It had made him feel she cared about him, but he didn't know if that would be enough to make him feel as he did now. Owen wasn't surprised he liked and enjoyed being around the pokemon, but to feel the spark of desire? That was what bothered him the most.

He'd never felt like this toward a pokemon before, and wasn't sure what to think about it now that he was. He didn't exactly think it was wrong to, but hadn't thought it was something a person should do either. Till now he'd not really understood why someone would want to have sex with a pokemon. Not he understood the desire he was feeling, just that he got why there'd be those that might not fight it.

 _'Why does it bother me so much?'_ Owen wondered. Was it just that it wasn't something he'd have expected of himself, or because it wasn't exactly looked well upon? Bestiality wasn't illegal in most places, but like with most sexual differences it wasn't exactly accepted by most people or even thought to be morale.

Thinking about it wasn't really helping too much though; he still wasn't any closer now to making sense of what he felt or what to think of it then he'd been before. He just knew he did feel something, and didn't think it would just go away.

…

It was a couple hours later that Owen finally decided to go looking for his caretaker and let her know he wasn't upset with her. Owen wasn't sure he'd be able to find her though, he wasn't totally sure what she did all day. When he got back down to the clearing his clothing were still where he had put them, but the Blaziken wasn't around anymore. The only pokemon he did see was a couple Combusken off at the edge of the clearing. They looked over at him for a moment before turning back to what they'd been doing.

Sighing a little Owen went to gather his clothing. He'd not really expected her to still be here, but he'd hoped a bit that she would be.

As his shirt was dry and as clean as it was getting, Owen pulled the worn garment over his head. It felt a bit stiff but he figured after a little while it would soften up and he'd not notice anymore. Looking between his pants and the brace on his leg, Owen wondered for a moment if he should put them back on too. The wound didn't really need treatment anymore, the Blaziken had stopped wrapping all his wounds the other day, so he didn't see any reason not to. They were loose enough the brace wouldn't be a problem really either.

Not wanting to fall as he put them on Owen sat down by the stream again and slowly pulled them on. Once he was dressed again he sort of felt funny. He must have gotten more used to being almost naked then he'd realized. His clothing felt a little restricting now. He shook his head a little at the thought.

"Chic?"

Twisting around Owen saw the little trouble making male Torchic standing behind him and looking at his clothing with a bit of a puzzled look.

"Got away again did you." Owen asked with a smile.

As it understood a little of what he was saying now the Torchic chirped at him as it puffed up a little, clearly not at all feeling guilty. If anything Owen thought the chick looked a little smug with itself. Looking back at the shirt he had on the Torchic cheeped again at him and come a bit closer.

"I put my clothes back on." He told the curious chick and lifted up his shirt a little to show the bird how it worked. The chick looked at it feathers for a moment then chirped out something Owen didn't quite get. The Torchic seemed satisfied though and lost some of it interest in what he had on him.

Knowing the chick wouldn't go unmissed for too much longer Owen leaned forward and scooped it up in one arm. Using his Walking stick he got to his feet and started walking towards the large cave. The Torchic let out a little trill of protest once he realize where they were going. Owen just smirked at it a little, "Yep, I'm taking you back."

Inside the large cave the Combusken that was on sitter duty looked over at him and then let out a relieved sounding noise at seeing he had the chick in his arms. It wasn't the same Combusken that had been watching him the day he'd been dropped off. There were three Combusken the seemed to take turns watching the young chicks. This one was easily recognizable by the scratch on its beak. It was friendly enough so Owen liked it, unlike the third Combusken that watched the Torchic. He didn't know why, but that bird didn't seem to like him. The first time he had come when it was watching the chicks the Combusken had squawked at his caretaker. Even without understanding anything it had been clear the bird hadn't wanted him there. After that it had taken to completely ignoring him, which was fine by him.

After setting the chick down Owen went and got his weaving things and sat down in his normal spot. With the walking stick he knew he didn't really have to stay here, but had little else to really do at the moment. He didn't think the other pokemon would mind if he wondered around a bit, but didn't really feel like over doing it. He already felt a little tired. So it was here or back to his caretakers cave. And he wasn't sure he wanted to go back and alone till she come back.

As he worked on the grass mat he watched the Torchic. The little trouble maker seemed to sulk a little before the other two got it to join them in playing. By now even the shy chick was used to his presence and didn't mind coming near him. She'd yet to join the other two in napping on him though.

At the moment the chicks seemed to be trying to see who could make the largest ember. Owen had worried they were getting carried with their games when they'd started breathing out little flames, but the Combusken didn't seem to care too much. It just made them keep to the open empty part of the large cave where there was nothing they could accidently catch on fire.

Surprisingly the chick that seemed to be doing the best was the little shy female Torchic. Her little flames were just a little bigger than the other two's. Of those two Owen wasn't really sure which was doing better. It kind of varied between each try. When they started making little puffs of smoke instead of flames the three chicks finally ended their game and came back over to the mat. For a little bit the three chirped happily to the Combusken and him. Soon though they all were yawning more than chirping.

Leaning forward Owen scooped up the more rambunctious chick and set it on his lap. "Go to sleep, there'll be plenty of time to boast later." He told it and the other two chicks. He guessed the Torchic understood enough to get that he wanted it to sleep as it gave him a 'not tired' look.

"Uh-uh." Owen murmured as he started to stroke the chick. It didn't take it long for the Torchic to relax and start to nod off. The other chick that often napped by him came over as well. She hesitated for a moment before hoping up on his lap for the first time. She looked up at him to see if he'd not like it before settling down by the other chick. To his even greater surprise the third chick came over and sat down so she was leaning against his right leg.

After a moment he smiled and slowly reached down to pet the chick. She eyed his hand but didn't run away. Just as slowly he stroked a finger over her head gently. As he petted her, her dark eyes drooped closed. When they were all asleep the Combusken clucked something low and he looked over at the bird. He thought it was smiling at him, but given the bird couldn't actually do that it was a little hard to be sure. Still it seemed happy.

Looking back at the chicks Owen smiled himself. Maybe he wasn't sure about what he felt about his Blaziken caretaker, but he did know the bird line was now among those he like the most.

…

Owen was starting to feel anxious. It was at the end of the day now, the time when the Torchic's parents came and picked there chicks up. All the Torchic had been picked up and even the Combusken had left, leaving him alone in the large cave. He'd thought his caretaker would come to pick him up as well. She'd always shown up for him at this time before. There was no sign of her and he was starting to think she wasn't going to come today.

"Is it because of earlier?" He asked himself in a low tone. He didn't like to think that the bird might be upset with him now. He felt a pang of regret he'd just ignored her went she'd called out to him. Signing he looked down at the mat he'd finished earlier. He'd not been sure what he'd do with it when he was done, but now a thought came to mind.

Rolling it up Owen tucked it under his right arm and then got to his feet and started out of the cave. It was a little dark out now, but he thought there was still enough light out for him to safely make it up the well worn path. He'd just have to take it slow is all. He didn't much want to trip or something.

On his way up the path he ran into one of the other Blaziken. A female he'd only seen a few times. He recognized her quite well though regardless. Her feathers where a darker shade of red then the other birds, making her stand out. Even without that though Owen thought she'd stand out. She just held herself in a way that drew attention. The others seemed to defer to her as well.

Thinking she was likely going down the path Owen moved over to give the Blaziken room to pass him. She stopped walking though when she reached him and clucked something. He understood a few sounds, one being the cluck the bird seemed to use when addressing him, but as a whole the context of what the Blaziken said was lost on him. She didn't seem to be wanting an answer though, as before he'd have had a chance to respond she'd picked him up and swung him over her shoulder.

In his surprise Owen dropped his walking stick and nearly the woven mat as well. He only kept a hold of that as it ended up being pressed between them. With a couple bounds up the path that left him felling his stomach had been left behind the bird took him to his caretakers cave.

She entered the cave, loudly announcing herself as she went. Before he knew it Owen found himself set down in the nest and listening to the two Blaziken clucking back and forth as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. After a few minutes the darker bird looked at him and clucked out something he mostly understood, a good night, and then left.

Now that he was alone with the Blaziken Owen felt a little uneasy again. He didn't know if she was upset with him or not. Looking towards her, Owen tired to guess by looking at her eyes. He'd found they where the best way to tell what the birds were feeling. It wasn't a fool proof way though. Unable to tell he dropped his eyes to the grass mat he was still holding on too.

He heard the click of her taloned feet on the stone as the Blaziken came over and then the soft rustling as she sat down in the nest. He could feel her watching him, and after a few moments looked back up at the Bird. He still didn't know if she was upset but it didn't seem she was mad enough she didn't want him here anymore. That thought cheered him up a little.

Lifting up the slightly squashed bundle he held it out for her to take. "It's not that good, but I still hope you'll take it." He told her, feeling a bit like a school boy giving a something to his crush. He mentally snorted a little at that thought. He was twenty seven… not a sixteen year old. Still he felt a little anxious and hoped she'd take it.

The Blaziken looked at the grass mat and then at him before she finally took it. For some reason Owen though she found it funny he was giving it to her, but as she taken it and seemed happy Owen didn't mind. Too much. He couldn't help but wonder why she was looking at him like that though.

Getting up the bird unrolled the mat and made a show of inspecting it, clucking things now and then as she looked at it. Given that it was rather dim in the cave now Owen wondered again just how good the birds eye sight was. After a few minutes she laid the mat out next to the nest before she looked back at him. After a few moments she went over and placed the cover over the cave mouth for the night. Coming back to the nest she settled down in for sleep.

She didn't try and cuddle up to him as she normally did though and Owen felt a little disappointed. He wondered if she was a bit upset still or maybe just though he didn't want her touching him now. Rolling over on to his good side he could vaguely made out her form laying next to him. He realized that if he wanted to put a stop to his growing attachment to the Blaziken he should let things stay like this. But… that's not really what he wanted.

Slowly Owen reached out and touched her arm. She shifted and even though it was dark he could tell that the humanoid bird was watching him. "Ken?" She clucked out in a soft questioning tone.

"You can still touch me." He said in a low whisper as he lifted her arm and moved it so the feathered appendage was draped over him.

She clucked something he didn't understand and then pulled him a little closer. Letting out a breath he'd not realized he'd been holding Owen closed his eyes and relaxed into her warm embrace.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"It's not funny …" Owen grumbled as he glared at his Caretaker from where he sat in the slow moving stream. She was standing downstream from him a little ways and making a cooing like laugh sound at him as he fished around in the water for his walking stick.

For a moment Owen feared it might have gotten washed away after he'd slipped and fallen on his rear, but after a few moments of looking spotted it snagged on a fallen tree a few feet away. Leaning forward Owen grabbed a hold of the end and pulled it free with a sharp tug. Ignoring the still laughing Blaziken that wasn't doing anything to help Owen got to his feet and waded out of the water.

 _'Why had I wanted to go with her again?'_ Owen wondered when he got to the shore and looked down at his wet pants. It was a few days after he'd given the Blaziken the woven mat. Their relationship was mostly back to how it had been before the incident. The only difference being she seemed to want to spend a bit more time with him now. She started showing him around the caves more and let him tag along while she was away from them a couple times.

That was why Owen was out fishing with the bird. Or in his cause, falling into the stream and scaring away the Corphish she'd just spoted…

"Amo." The Blaziken stopped laughing at hearing the name he'd taken to calling her and turned to look at Owen. "Are we still fishing?" He questioned slowly. He'd found it helped her understand what he said when spook his questions like that.

Nodding Amo gestured farther down the stream as she squawked and clucked. He understood enough to get that she was saying they could try down that way. Allowing her to lead the way Owen followed after her as she walked along the stream. Not wanting to fall in again he paid more attention to where he stepped this time. After walking for ten or so minutes of walking the terrain started to get rough. Paying even more attention to his footing now, Owen didn't realize the Blaziken had turned towards him with the intention of picking him up.

Owen was startled when her feathery arms easily scooped him up, but quickly recovered. "I can walk." Owen protested, struggling a little to be put down. He might have to go a little slow but he was sure he could manage without help. He'd been walking around without help for the past couple days now. His protest died though as they rounded a bend in the stream and came to area where the surrounding forest gave way to an area that looked to have been the epicenter of some kind of destructive force in the past. Most of the trees in the area seemed to have been broken or pulled out of the ground and the tossed around. They weren't little saplings either, but large fully mature spruce and aspens. Littering the ground around the fallen tree's where large rocks and deep gorge marks.

For all the area looked to have been torn apart, nature already seemed to be healing the scar to the land. Young tree grew next to old fallen ones and the stream flowed in a zigzag around the rocks before it feel over a ledge in a small water fall.

"Did pokemon do this?" Owen asked looking away from the scenery and tilted his head up to look at Amo.

The Blaziken hadn't seemed affected much by the area as he had. Upon arriving she'd started to hop from boulder to boulder. At his question though she stopped on one of the larger boulders and glanced around for a moment. She clucked out something low he didn't understand. He'd not heard most of the sounds before. One of the bawks though was similar to what they called him, but sounded different enough in pitch Owen thought the sounds meaning was different.

Taking her eyes off the landscape Amo looked down at Owen. The look seemed searching, but he wasn't sure for what. Feeling a little uncomfortable under the gaze he turned his head to look out at the landscape again. He wasn't sure if she found what she was looking for, but after a few moments the bird clucked something low and started jumping from rock to rock again.

It didn't take them long to get past the area and back to more peaceful looking forest. Owen was glad to be past it. The area its self didn't seemed to bother Amo, though he thought she didn't like what had done it. The similar bawk sound he'd heard keep going through his head. Was it just chance it was similar to the sound the Blaziken used for him? Or was there a reason for that? He was pretty sure the Bawk they use to call for him was their 'word' for human. Could the other mean something about humans too? Looking over the Blaziken's feathery shoulder he found he hoped not… But had the feeling it likely was.

Amo was slowing down in her pace again so Owen turned his head to look forward once more. Before them was a wide river. It looked a lot deeper and faster flowing then the stream he'd accidently fallen into. There were a few spots along the shore where fallen logs or large rocks made calmer pools. He thought those where likely were Amo would look for fish. They weren't the only ones at the river though. A little ways down the bank on the other side of the river was an Ursaring with a Teddiursa at its side. The bear pokemon looked at them for a few moments, him especially, before wondering downstream.

After looking around to be sure there wasn't any other pokemon that might be a threat nearby his caretaker set him down a few feet away from the stream. Looking at his wet pants Amo clucked at him and pointed at the grass. Owen recognized most of the sounds and had no trouble understanding she was telling him to stay where he was. He head the same thing told to the young trouble making Torchic enough times, though added to it was the 'bawk' used to address him.

"Don't worry… I don't want to drown. My names Owen though. Not… Bah-kah- whatever…" He her trying to say repeat the sound as he sat down. He'd thought of doing trying to tell her his name before, but hadn't yet got around to it as what they'd called him hadn't bother him before. The Blaziken watched him, clearly not sure what he was trying to say, for a moment before she turned to head to the river.

"Wait."

"Ken?" She questioned looking back at him.

"My names Owen. O- EN." He told her saying it slowly and pointing to himself.

Tilting her head Amo looked at him for a moment as she tried to get what she was trying to say. Owen repeated a few times till she got it. He could tell the moment it clicked as her eyes seemed to light up a little and she started to try to say it. She had no problem with the 'en' part, but the 'O' was giving her some trouble. She keep wanting to do an 'Ah' instead of 'Oh'. It wasn't a sound that the birds would normally make, so she was having trouble with the sound. She seemed really determined to though.

"En is fine for now." He told her smiling after a few minutes of her trying to say it right.

"En…" She repeated looking at him. "En!" Pointing at herself she clucked out something fast.

He'd heard it before, but till now hadn't realized it was her name. He wasn't sure he could hope to repeat it though… "Cla-bawh…. Clah-" A rough clawed hand over his mouth stopped him and he looked questionly up at the Blaziken.

She seemed to been thinking something over. After a couple moments she tapped her chest and said, "Aahm…. Ahm-o" She told him trying really hard to pronounce Amo. The O part came out a sounding a bit odd but understandable enough.

Pulling her hand away from his face Owen smiled. "Alight. I'll keep calling you Amo." He agreed. He wondered what she'd think if she know the meaning of the word. That he was calling her his 'cherished one', his 'love' each time he called her that.

 _'If I wasn't in trouble before, I am now.'_ Owen thought as the bird went over to the river to fish. He was beginning to wonder what he'd do when it came time to leave… Even if the birds would let him, Owen knew couldn't stay here like this forever. When his leg was healed, he needed to go find his friends and even contact his family. He guessed that by now they'd have to have been contacted and told what had happened.

Looking over at the Blaziken he wondered if Amo would go with him when he left her flock. He really wanted her to go with him, but didn't think he could try and make her go. Even if he'd had his Sawbuck with him and a pokeball to catch her with, he wouldn't be able to do it. Not to her. The thought of forcing Amo to do as he wanted felt wrong. Very, very wrong. She was far more than just a pokemon to him now.

He almost wanted to laugh… or cry. He really was falling in love with a pokemon.

Sudden splashing alerted him that Amo must have caught something. Paying more attention to what she was doing Owen watched as she stood waist deep in calm pool along the river's edge, trying to pull a struggling Goldeen out of the water by its fin. It flailed around trying to jab the bird with it horn, but the bird held tightly onto its fin. Once it started to slow down she hit the fish hard on the side of the head and then tossed the fish onto the shore. Owen watched if flop weekly a couple times before it went still.

Amo hopped out of the water and sat on a rock to watch for another fish. Owen wasn't sure she'd have much luck as the Goldeen she'd caught had made a racket. Looking towards the Goldeen he wondered how often the birds fished. He couldn't remember seeing her eating any fish while he'd been here, just some small mammals like Zigragoons and Rattata. Looking back out at the bird he wondered if it was because as fire types they took a risk to go fishing. If that was the case though, Amo didn't seem too worried. If anything he thought she might be having fun trying to catch them.

Leaning back he smiled a little as he watched Amo. He thought she might have found another fish as she suddenly jumped back into the water. He couldn't tell if it was going well or not though. She kept hopping around the thigh deep water in circles as the orange fish she was after swam around and tried to jab her with its horn. This went on for about five minutes before Amo seemed to give up. Coming out of the water she shook her legs a little to get the water off and then went over to where she'd tossed the fish.

"Done fishing?" Owen asked getting up. She clucked a simple answer of 'yes' as she picked up the fish by its tail. Motioning for him to fallow after her, Amo lead him to an animal trail.

…

As Owen had to go at a somewhat slow pace because of his leg it took them around an hour to arrive back to where the flock of fire bird pokemon lived. When entered the large clearing before the mountain side Owen saw that Amo hadn't been the only Blaziken to have gone out to catch something. Some of the birds seemed to have gone hunting instead of fishing but all the Blaziken and even some of the older Combusken gathered in the clearing all had a catch of some kind.

Looking around Owen saw a couple more Goldeen as well some Corphish and a Barboach. It was the trouble making Torchics father that was showing that off and he seemed rather pleased with his catch. His mate, the darker colored bird that had taken him to his caretakers cave seemed pleased with the catch as well.

It was mostly the Combusken that seemed to gone hunting instead of fishing. One had a small Goldeen, that was earning it praise, but the others had things like Buneary and Zigragoons. Not that they didn't seem happy with their catches.

Wondering what was going on Owen hurried to follow Amo over to where she's joined the other Blaziken while he'd been looking around. Coming to a halt behind her Owen continued to watch the birds. They seemed rather excited.

"Chic!"

Turning his head the way the call had come from Owen spotted the male Torchic darting between the older bird legs as it came his way. When it reached him it started hopping up and down 'flapping' its tiny wings and trilling happily.

"What's going on?" He asked as he bent down. The chick keep cheeping, a possible answer, but if so it was going way too fast for him to possible understand anything. While the Torchic couldn't make all the same sounds as the Blaziken, they still could make some similar that had the same basic meanings it seemed. Still with how much and fast the chic was cheeping there was no way he could understand.

The overly excited chick hopped into his arms, seemingly wanting to be picked up so Owen obliged and warped an arm around the little bird and stood back up. After a few moments he noticed that the chick's mother was watching him and her chick. For a moment he wondered if he should maybe set him back down but the darker bird just reached over to ruffle her chicks head and told it to behave before she looked away from them.

Soon all the food, including a ton of berries, nuts and other gathered things he'd not noticed before where all placed on large mats in the clearing. The woven mats where arranged in a rather large and wide double circle (the food on the inner ring) and as he watched some of the Combusken started to pile up sticks and other flammable materials in the center of it.

"Are they making a bonfire?" Owen wondered out loud. The chick he was holding chirped questionly at him, but he just keep watching as more stick and then branches were stacked up. It really looked like they were.

A loud trill from one of the Blaziken made him jump. He'd only ever heard the chicks do that so it surprised him. Looking around Owen tried to figure out which bird had made the sound and why, when a responding trill come from the forest. It sounded close by and a few minutes later a number of birds he'd never seen before came out of the forest. There were enough that it had to be another Flock. Soon there was easily 50 to 60 birds in the large clearing as the two groups greeted each other. Some of the new birds had food as well, but most of those with something seemed to have woven mats or other items they'd made. Owen wondered what they were for.

The chick in his arms grew even more excited and seemed about to explode. It didn't seem to want to be set down though, so he keep hold of the wiggly chick.

As the two groups of Birds mingled it didn't take too long for the new birds to notice him. He could tell his presence surprised them. Even if Owen hadn't had nearly two weeks to study the birds he was sure he'd have been able to tell by now they keep staring at him. He could hear their word for 'human' over and over now as they seemed to ask about him. That was about all he could pick up of the fast clucking and bawk sounds though.

"En."

Hearing Amo calling for him turned around to look at her, only she wasn't standing next to him anymore. Wondering when he'd lost her, he started to look around for her. He felt a little exposed suddenly being alone, even though he didn't think he was in any danger. After a few moments he spotted her over by the mats and hurried to join her.

When he got there Amo clucked out a request to sit as she gestured at the mat. Sinking down he set his walk stick where he thought it would be out of the way. Wondering if she'd join him he tilted his head around to look at her as the darker colored Blaziken walked up. He wondered if she was coming for her chick but after a glance at it and him started to talk with his Caretaker.

They were clucking too fast for him to even try to follow so he didn't even try. Instead set the chick down on his lap. It hopped off almost immediately and started to 'bounce' next to him. Owen half expected it to run off, but for a change it stayed put. He wondered if it was possible it was intimidated by the number of new bird. Then snorted. "Yeah right. If you weren't scared of me why would your own kind intimidate you."

Tilting its head the Torchic looked up at him. "Chic?" He didn't think it understood what he'd said, or at least not fully, but either way the Torchic cheeped back at him before it going back to bouncing.

A few minutes later Amo did sit down next to him, scooting the chick out of the way to do so. It complained, but she just ignored him. A few moments after she'd sat down the old bird that had set his leg called out to those gathered. He thought it might be a call to sit down as those that hadn't come to the mats yet now did so. Owen couldn't tell if the birds where just sitting where ever or if there was an order to where everyone sat. All he knew was the two Flocks where mixed up together.

Once they were all sitting and it was mostly quiet the old bird started talking. Own caught a few 'words' but for the most part was still clueless as to what was going on. Glancing over at Amo he wished he understood more so he could ask her to explain thing to him. As it was he knew just watching and listening would be the best he could do.

After a few minutes the old bird sat down with her mate on one of the nearby mats and the Blaziken with darker red feathers on the mat to their right stood up with her mate. They were joined by two Blaziken from the other Flock. The four birds walked into the open area around the piled up wood and started to dance. At least that's what it looked like to Owen. It could easily have been a display of there fighting moves but to him it look graceful and fluid, so he thought the birds where dancing around the unlit bonfire. The four birds jumped, spun and twisted around each other in a show that left him amazed. After a while flames sprang up around there wrists and the 'dances' mood seemed to shift. It was still graceful but now also held a touch of danger to it.

At the end the four leap into the air on a signal invisible to him and sent spinning flames at the wood, lighting it on fire. That must have been a signal to eat, as the bird all started to dig into the food before them. Taking an Oran offered to him Owen rolled it in his hands as he watched the four sit down. Once they had he looked at Amo.

"That was amazing." He told her thinking that pokemon contests should be more like that.

The Torchic seemed to agree as it started jumping up and down while he trilled at his parents next to them. His father reached over and scooped up the hyper chick with a bawk at it to settle down. Amo clucked at him to eat and this time Owen bit into the blue berry. His caretaker ate a berry herself then turned her attention to the Goldeen she'd caught. Using a sharpened stone that had been place on the mat for this purpose, the bird started to carve up the fish. She placed the strips of flesh onto leaves. Once she was finished she chose a few then passed the rest around. Owen noticed that the other birds that had caught something were doing the same.

After passing a couple of the chose pieces to the chicks parents Amo, held one out to him as well. He took it slowly, not wanting to offend her, but unsure. He'd never eaten raw fish. He knew some people liked it but also though it was prepared a bit different than this.

"En?"

Looking up from the piece of fish Owen found Amo gazing at him. She clucked out 'eat', but in a way that it was a question and not telling him too.

"Just used to it cooked." He told her and made a gesture to the fire. She looked over at the flames, but Owen didn't expect her to understand, and didn't think now was the time to try explaining humans cooked a lot of things before they ate them. So he took a hesitant bit. It wasn't terrible, but he wasn't really sure why people like it raw. He was sure it would be much better cooked. Still he took a few more bites, trying not to let it show he didn't like it much.

He must not have done that great a job at it though as he'd not eaten too much of it before Amo reached over and took it away. When he looked over at the bird she clucked something and set it down. He thought she was saying he didn't have to eat it.

Not realizing any of the other birds might have noticed Owen jumped a little when the darker colored bird near them clucked something about food, and then passed him some little dark purple barriers to eat.

Owen looked at her surprised of a moment then took them. He didn't know what kind of berries they were, so looked them over for a moment before biting into the soft flesh. The inside of it was purple as well, though much lighter in shade then skin was. It kind of made him think of the Lum berry in flavor. It them it had a mix of flavors. Deciding he like them he smiled at the darker Blaziken. "Thanks."

She clucked her beak in response before going back to her own food.

…

Later after they'd eaten the most of the birds started to move around more. They wondered from mat to mat as to chat. And show off. A number of the Combusken from both flock got up to dance around the fire. It was nothing like what the Blaziken had done earlier, but Owen still enjoyed watching. As did he realized that it was mostly males up dancing, though now and then a female would join in.

There also seemed to be gift giving going on. The mats and the other crafted items he'd noticed earlier where being offered to the female Combusken. Not all were accepted and Owen found himself wondered at the meaning behind the gifts. The Combusken that did accept the gives where surrounded by friends to inspect it while the giver was shooed away.

His Caretaker didn't get up and go to any of the other mats, but a few birds did come over to hers. He thought she was being asked a lot about him, as they stared at him a lot. He was getting used to it now so it didn't bother him too much. At least no of them seemed to be upset with his presence. He thought they were more curious then anything.

To his surprise one of the Combusken come over and offered a shell to Amo. It looked to be a squirtle shell which surprised him. He didn't think the turtles where common in the area. Still curious to what the gift giving was all about Owen looked at his caretaker with interest, wondering if she'd take it. A number of the other birds were watching now too. The darker colored bird seemed especially interested.

Amo looked at the shell as the male Combusken held it up for her to look at, but didn't take it for a closer look. After a moment she clucked something to him and he left with the Shell. Owen thought the Combusken was disappointed but the other birds acted as if they'd known she'd reject the gift.

"Amo, what are the gifts for?" Owen asked pointing over at one of the males with a gift and then to one of the females that had accepted a mat and was looking it over with a couple other birds.

The Blaziken looked over at where he'd pointed and then back at Owen. For a few moments she didn't say anything and he started to wonder if he should try reasking his question. Before he could though she clucked out a 'word' that was unfamiliar to him as she pointed at a pair of Blaziken.

Looking over at them he tried to come up with something they could have in common with the Combusken but nothing came to mind. The pair hadn't been given anything. Looking back at Amo he should his head, "What do they have to do with it?"

Amo clucked out, well more like muttered out something, as she appeared to be trying to figured out another way to tell him. She pointed to a few other birds, but still Owen didn't get it. After a bit they both gave up. Owen decided to ask again sometime he understood more of what they said.

After that he just watched the birds. Whatever this party was for it seemed most were having a good time. He thought some of the Combusken with rejected gifts were looking a bit down, but other than them, the birds where having fun. And he enjoyed watching them. He had the feeling this was likely something humans hadn't really seen before. It excited him to think he might be the first to witness it and more. He was sure that at least Amo's flock, minus the rude Combusken, was fine with him being here for it.

He wasn't sure just when, but sometime after sunset he'd ended up with the Torchic sleeping in his lap. Stroking its head absentmindedly he yawned. It was rather late now; the sun had been done for a few hours at least. _'I wonder how long this will last.'_ He'd seen one of the Blaziken add more wood to the bon fire about an hour ago. At least he thought that's how long it had been. It was a little hard to keep track of time without a watch. He'd been learning to judge time during the day though.

Owen kind of hoped the birds weren't going to be up all night though. He thought he'd likely fall asleep at some point rather then make it. Even with them being noisy.

…

"En." Feeling someone shake him Owen blinked then looked over at Amo.

"Hmm?" He murmured tiredly. It took him a moment to realized he must have fallen asleep and looked around him. He didn't think too much time had passed, but he thought there might be fewer birds around the fire now. He realized too he didn't have the Torchic in his lap any more.

Hearing Amo cluck something to him, Owen looked back at her as she scooped him up in her arms. As they headed for the trial up the mountain side he guessed she was taking him to her cave. "Is the party oo… over then?" He asked, yawning. He hoped so as he still didn't like being alone. She clucked something again. He was too tired to understand what she was saying though.

It only took her a few minutes to get to her cave and place him in the nest. He was rather pleased when she covered the entrance and then joined him in the nest. Normally she was the one to cuddle against him, but after she'd lain down Owen moved closer and snuggled up to her, his cheek pressed against her warm chest.

He thought he heard a happy coo from her as her feathery arm was draped over him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As he had many times over the past few months, Owen woke up next to the warm feathery body of Amo. He had gotten so use to it that it seemed natural now. Pushing himself up the green haired and eyed man gazed down at the Blaziken. She looked peaceful while she was asleep and he'd have been happy to do nothing but sit there and look at her for a while. Especially as he wasn't sure how much longer this would last.

His leg was feeling healed to him now. It didn't hurt him anymore, and it had to have been over a week sense the last time he felt even the slightest ache from it. All that was left was the old matriarch to decide his leg was healed to her satisfaction. And once she did, Owen had no reason to not leave.

Sighing Owen ran a hand through his hair. He wanted to go back, he knew he needed too, but as time had gone on he'd only grown more attached to Amo. Well the whole flock really. A part of him didn't want to leave.

He'd miss being able to help watch the Torchic, especially the little hyper male chick. It had taken him a while to come up with, but he'd ended up give him a nickname as well. Quark. Because he was an overly hype little featherball.

More than missing Quark though, Owen knew he'd miss the time spent with Amo. Most of the time he stayed here at the caves, but sometimes (like when they were getting ready for the bonfire gathering) she took him with her while she was other hunting and gathering. During those times she tried to teach him stuff, like where the best berries where or how to deal with Tailow that thought you'd gotten too close to a nest.

He still winced at that memory. The whole flock had flown at him and beat at his head with their wings as they chased him off. Amo had come to his rescue, but only after the worst was over. He was sure she'd found it as funny as when he'd slipped and fallen in the stream.

"Some help you are." He whispered at the sleeping bird. His tone was affectionate though. He was sure if he was in real trouble she'd jump to his aid, just as she'd done with the Mightyena.

Next to him Amo shifted where she lay and after few moments her eyes creaked open. Tilting her head she looked up at him and clucked a, _"Good morning,_ Awen _. "_ She still couldn't pronounce the O in his name, but Owen had long since stopped caring. He enjoyed hearing her say it as she did.

"Good morning." He returned with a smile.

Amo stretched and started to get up so Owen got up as well. He followed her out of the cave and down to the main clearing. While she went to look at the left over berry and other food left over from yesterday for breakfast, Owen picked up a couple of the large hollow nut shells and filled them with water from the stream running though the clearing. It was fresh and clean water. He'd been a bit wary of drinking it once he realized that's where the water came from, but as he'd yet to have serious stomach problems so had stopped worrying.

He went over to the spot he and Amo had started to eat breakfast at most morning and set the filled shells down. Amo joined him a few moments later with a large leaf covered in berries and roots. She tossed him a peacha, and he smiled as he caught it. "Just what I wanted." Maybe he should have been worried she knew him well enough to predict what he'd want, but he couldn't bring himself too.

A high pitched chirp of "Chick" was Owens only warming before Quark had cannonballed into his lap. "One of these days you're going to knock me silly." He scolded, but this grin at seeing the chick kind of ruined it.

Quark chirped something fast back at him, Owen thought it was an apology, but he had a little harder time understanding the Torchic then he did the Blaziken, and the speed at which Quark normally spoke didn't help any. Still if he'd said sorry, the chick didn't look it. He looked smug as he settled down on Owens lap and started munching on an Oren berry.

The chicks parents came over a few moments later and scolded there chick as well. Quark did look more chastened from that and warbled a 'sorry'. Nether looked totally satisfied, but let it be. Instead of heading off they sat down to join them to eat there breakfast.

As they ate the darker colored Blaziken (who he'd learned a couple weeks ago was Amo's sister) talked about with Amo about her plans to go hunting later. She wanted to know if Amo wanted to go with. After thinking about it for a while Amo agreed and then to his surprised her sister started to talk to him. It wasn't the first time she'd talked to him by any means, but the first time so casually.

" _How is your leg doing?"_ She squawked, and looked down at it.

"It's good. It feels healed to me." He told her once after he'd recovered from his surprise.

If she noticed the Blaziken made no mention of it. Instead she said, _"You do seem fine on your feet."_ She agreed, _"But 'our wise one'-",_ that's what he translated the birds word for their Matriarch to mean, _"-will be the one to decide if you are healed. I believe she might come around later to look at it."_

Owen tired to seem happy at that news, but must not have looked at pleased as he would have liked.

" _You do not seem happy? Why?"_ Amo questioned after sharing a look with her sister. She and her husband got up and left them to talk. They took Quark with them. He protested, saying he didn't want to go, but settled down when he was told he could go back to Owen later.

"It's… I will be happy to have the wise one come look at my leg. I just… Wonder about after." He admitted quietly. This wasn't how he'd wanted to bring up his leaving, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

" _You're worried you'll be told to leave once your leg is fine?"_ She asked and shook her head as if she thought he was foolish or silly. _"You can stay with me as long as you want. I don't mind."_

Owen could help but smile and blush a little at hearing that. "I… Thank you. Knowing that you'll let me stay means a lot. But..That's not what I meant though. I need to go home… I have friends that have to be worried about me." Or think he was dead… but he kept that to himself.

Understanding dawned in her eyes and Amo looked down at the remainder of their breakfast. He waited to see if she was going to say anything, but after the silents just grew Owen decided to break it. "Would you come with me when I go?" He nervously asked. He was scared of the answer, but need to know.

Amo looked at him. She gazed at him a long time, and as he waited for her to say or do something his stomach twisted around. Finally she quietly squawked out an answer. _"I don't know. Give me time to think about it."_

It wasn't what Owen wished to hear, but it wasn't a definite no either. So Owen nodded and watched as Amo got up and left.

…

Owen wasn't left alone for too long, maybe ten minutes after Amo had left Quark had found where he wondered over too after cleaning up the remains of their food. The chick made it difficult to remain down for too long, so soon he found himself in the babysitting cave. The Combusken there today was the bird that was rude and didn't like him, but Owen ignored him, and laughed at the hyper Torchic running around him.

Now that his leg was mostly better, the chicks wanted him to join in their games of tag. The Torchic where hard for him to keep out with, let alone hope to catch, but he decided to join in for awhile anyway. It was a good way to keep his mind off Amo for a while.

As he expected though, he was worn himself out rather fast and finally had to give up. Sitting down he told them, "You guys win." Quark complained a little at him giving up, but a puff of smoke at his head drew his attention back to the other chicks rather fast. Puffing up he took off after the chick that had done it.

The rest of the morning passed as most days did. Owen watched them play till they exhausted themselves and then ended up with a lap full of chicks when they finally decided to nap.

Stroking one of the chicks, just which he wasn't sure as he hadn't looked down to see, Owen found his thoughts drift back to Amo, and what her answer would be. Or how long it would take her to decide. He hadn't considered that before, but decided he'd wait for her answer before leaving. Even if it took a while to get.

What the answer might be worried him though. It was almost as bad as his fears of the dark. Almost. This didn't quiet leave him trembling like he did if he was alone and he thought something was just outside his vision. But it was bad enough in its own way. The thought of Amo saying no and him leaving without her, possibly to never see the beautiful bird again, made something inside him painfully clench.

So he tried not to think about it. Not that it was easy as that's all his mind seemed to want to be on…

He was rather happy want the chicks woke up, so decided to play with them a little more. The Combusken made a comment that sound a lot like 'human were weird', to which Owen just smiled. He didn't care what the rude Combusken though, the Torchic were delighted he was going to play with them again, till now he'd only joined in once a day.

It was a while after that, when he'd given up again and was lying on his back out of breath, that the old Matriarch came in looking for him. On seeing her, the Torchic settled down. Wondering why they'd stopped hopping over his legs, Owen sat up and looked around.

" _I thought I'd find you here. The chicks really have taken a liking to you."_ The old bird said as walked over to Owen. _"I'd imagine you legs good too, if you can ran around with them."_ She added. Plopping herself down next to him she reached for his leg to get a feel of it. Owen reached down and pulled up the pant leg to make it easier.

She poked, prodded and felt up and down where the bite and break had been for a few minutes. Beyond her Owen could see the Combusken watching, and for once not looking as if Owen offended him. Owen wondered if it was because the Matriarch was her, or if despite his attitude he was interceded in if he was better. _'Maybe he just hopes once I'm better I'll leave.'_ Owen though as the bird noticed he looking and turned away.

" _Well your legs a bit different than ours, but it seems to feel fine. You've had no pain or soreness_?" The old bird said, pulling his attention away from the Combusken.

"No, not for a while now." He told her.

" _Then I think it's healed. Don't go falling off anymore cliffsides."_ She warned, having heard his tale of exactly how he ended up alone and almost Mightyena Kibble.

"I don't plan on it." He told her as she got up.

" _Good, I don't like healing someone only to have them do it again later."_ She grumbled on her way out.

After she'd left Quark came running back over, he'd got out of the Matriarchs way before, and started running his beak a mile a minute. From what Owen could make up, the chick was happy his leg was all better, and possibly listing all the thing he wanted to do with Owen now. It sounded like more tag, or maybe hide and seek? There was something about tree's and the best hiding spot anyway.

"We'll see." Is all Owen told him though. He wasn't sure how long it would be till he left, so didn't want to promise to too much.

…

Owen didn't get Amo's answer that night, or in the next few days either. Owen was alright with that, he didn't mind more time here. It gave him the chance to play with Quark, it turned out it was a type of hide and seek the chick had wanted to play. The back part was that anxiety was getting to him a little. When they were together Amo watched him often and he couldn't help but think she was about to answer at times, only to have her look away again.

Today though he was hoping to get her answer. After breakfast Amo had asked him if he'd go hunting with her. This didn't happen a lot so he took it as a sigh she'd made up her mind and was going to give her answer while they were out. He just hoped she hadn't want to spend one last time with him…

Amo took him to the stream he'd fallen in, before finally bring up the subject. As she looked at the water she clucked, _"I've been thinking a lot about what you asked. I talk to 'the wise one' but all she said was ' do as I wish'. My sister said much the same. So I've been thinking about what it is I want. It's been hard to decide what that is. I don't want to leave my flock, but part of me wouldn't mind going with you. You're my friend and you've made me wonder what it's like where you humans live."_ Amo paused to look over at him.

Owen kind of wished she saw him as more than just a friend, but thought he could live with that if it meant she would say yes. At least then he'd still be with her. So he wanted to say something, maybe that he understood it was a hard decision to make, but didn't want to interrupt either.

After a few moments of gazing at him she finally clucked, "I'll go with you Awen."

Owen couldn't help it, he was so happy she was coming that he hugged her tightly before he even realized he'd moved. Amo wasn't quiet expecting it, but after a moment one of her arms warped around him to and Owen heard her cooing laugh.

"You really mean it?" Owen once he'd calmed down and loosed his hug. He didn't completely let her go yet though.

" _Yes."_ She clucked amusedly. _"We can leave tomorrow. Tonight though we need to find something to eat."_ She said and turned her attention to the water.

Letting her go, Owen nodded and sat on a boulder a little away from the stream. He didn't much feel like falling in again. After a bit though he got a little bored of just sitting there so started to pick them some of the berries growing nearby. As he did he made sure to keep an eye out for territorial pokemon. He didn't want a repeat of the Tailow.

…

Amo didn't catch any Goldeen this time, but on their way back to the caves she did spot a Zigzagoon. For a moment it seemed like the raccoonish pokemon would get away too, but Amo managed to catch it at the last second. Owen had to look away when the pokemon let out a high pitch scream before Amo silenced it, it reminded him to much of his attack by the Mightyena. He didn't feel he should have stopped Amo, he knew pokemon ate other pokemon… Even humans did that. Still he couldn't help but be a little bothered by the death.

Amo picked up on it and moved a little closer to him as they neared the caves. Looking at her Owen smiled a little and by the time they arrived back was mostly fine again.

On their way up to Amo's cave they ran into her darker feathered sister. The Blaziken gave Amo a questioning look to which Amo nodded. Her sister seemed both glad and a little sad as she turned and went back to her own cave.

"What was that about?" Owen questioned once they'd reached Amo's cave.

" _She wanted to know if I'd given you an answer yet."_ She told him.

"Oh…" Owen muttered, it making a lot more sense now. Of course the bird would be sad her sister was leaving. "Do you want to go say good bye to anyone?" He asked.

After a moment of thought Amo shook her head. _"I can tomorrow."_

Owen was fine with that, it meant more time alone with her, so he sat down next to Amo to eat their dinner. They ate in a comfortable silence for a while before Amo asked, _"Are your friends like you?"_

"Hmm, if you mean kind to pokemon then yeah." Owen said after a moment's thought on how to answer. "Sarah and Jake are both a bit hot headed, though Jakes the more rash of the two. Then there Tom. He's a quiet, thoughtful kind of guy."

" _They don't sound so bad."_ Amo decided after a moment.

Hoping she would like them and that they in turn wouldn't find his attachment to the Blaziken to strange Owen nodded. "They can be idiots, but I think there all right."

Amo laughed a little at that. _"So there are a lot like you."_ She teased.

"Hey!" He gave her a hurt look. Only it melted into a grin as she smirked at him. Her beak may not be able to move like his mouth, but some of her other facial muscles could and by now he was getting a lot better at reading them.

Laying back in the nest Owen looked up at Amo. "I'm really happy you're going to come. I'd have missed you terribly" he was giving away a little of how he felt for her, but at the moment didn't care. He really would have missed her a lot.

Amo looked down at him for a moment, a look he didn't quiet recognize in her eyes, before she pushed him over and laid down herself. _"I'd have missed you too."_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Coming too slowly Owen shivered a little and rolled trying to find the warmth that had moved away. Only he couldn't find it. Opening an eye, he gazed at where Amo should have been. The cave was still dim, the light leaking in through cracks in the entrance cover not giving him much light, but Owen could still see that he as alone in the nest.

Blinking tiredly he sat up and yawned, wondering where the Blaziken had gone. It wasn't the first time he'd woken up alone so he wasn't really worried.

Owen sat there for a few minutes as he finished waking up, before getting to his feet. Walking over to the cave entrance he moved the cover to the side and light streamed in. The sun was higher up then he'd expected to see. It didn't exactly surprise him he'd sleep in though. While he was happy Amo was going with him, he'd been a little anxious about going back so had lain awake longer then he'd have liked.

" _Awen."_

Looking away from the sky the green hair man looked down the path to see Amo. It seemed she had been coming back to the cave and had an arm full of leaves and foods. Some was likely for breakfast but she had a lot more then they could eat in one sitting.

"What is all that for?" He asked and moved back into the cave so he wasn't blocking the way anymore.

Entering the cave Amo headed over to the nest, saying as she went _, "Some of it's for breakfast, but most is for later."_ She set the foodstuff down by the nest. She kept a hold of the bundle of leaves though, and opened it up into what turned out to be a small weaved bag of sorts. Picking up one of the berries he liked the bird tossed it to him.

Catching it on reflex, which thanks to Amo doing that often had improved a little, Owen started to eat. After he'd finished the first berry and had eaten half a chrunchy, but still soft root, he asked. "When would you like to leave? I think the earlier the better, so after where done eating we should go say our goodbyes."

Looking up from the bag she'd filled while they ate Amo nodded. _"I was thinking the same. I've already seen the wise one, but I think she may want to say something to the both of use before we leave."_

Owen nodded, not surprised she'd have talked to the old bird already. Or that the Matriarch would want to say something before he took Amo away from the flock. During his time here he'd learned that the females didn't leave often. It was the males that did that. For a moment his mind went back to the bonfire he'd taken part in.

At the time he'd not really understood the reasons for the get together. All the gift giving had really confused him as only one had been accepted. It hadn't been till about a week later that he realized what it was about. One of the male Combusken from the other flock had returned and for a few days was harassed by all the Blaziken (Amo included), before suddenly being accepted and given a cave with one of the female Combusken. Which he now knew to be the bird that had accepted a gift during the bonfire.

Not that getting a mate was the only reason the bonfire was done. He'd learned that first and foremost it was for the flocks to mingle and have fun. Too see old friends and family. With the males joining other flocks all the groups of birds were interconnected.

" _Awen?"_

Looking towards Amo he saw she was finished eating and had gotten up. She was looking down at him while she waited for him to get up as well.

"Sorry, got lost in thought for a moment." He said getting up.

" _Oh, about what?"_ Amo asked as she tilted her head to the side to look back at him.

"I was just thinking about the bonfire." He told her as they reach the cave mouth.

" _The bonfire?"_

"Yeah, just thinking about how little I understood about stuff back then. It had taken a while for me to get why the Combusken joined the Flock." He said with a shake of his head.

" _It had been funny seeing you so confused about it."_ Amo teased. _"Does it take all humans that long to put two and two together?"_

Deciding not rise to her bait Owen just huffed and followed her down the trial. His silence seemed to amuse Amo though, she keep glancing back at him and making a cooing chuckle when he looked away.

Owen was glad when they got down the clearing. The Matriarch was waiting for them. As well as a good portion of the flock. Seeing them Owen wondered how the news of them leaving had gotten out so fast. They were surrounded and questions where sent flying their way. Was Owen really leaving today? Why Amo was leaving too? Why they had to leave at all.

That last came for a rather unhappy Torchic down by Owens feet.

Leaving Amo to answer the questions about why she was going with Owen, the green haired man knelt down to talk to the chick that had grown attached to him.

"You care about your friend's right? If one of them went missing you'd be worried and want them found wouldn't you?" He asked Quark.

The Torchic nodded his head and chirped "Yes", but it was clear to Owen he didn't quite understand what this had to do with him and Amo leaving.

"Well that's what I did to my human friends. I went missing on them. The last time they saw me was when I was caught in a mudslide that dropped me off a cliff. They don't know if I'm alive or not."

Understanding dawned in Quarks eyes, _"You do need to let them know you ok."_ He chirped out sadly. _"I'll miss you though."_ He wobbled before turning and running off. Standing up Owen watch the chick disappear into the large community cave they were watched in, before turning his attention about to the birds still there.

It seemed they been a good deal had listened to what he'd told Quark, as they just nodded too him and or said they hoped he was reunited with his human friends soon.

The flock parting for her, the Matriarch came over to say her own good bye. Well, what for her was the equivalent anyway...

" _Enough with the squawking."_ The old bird said and waved her clawed hands to get the birds to disperse. Well most of them anyway. Amo's sister and mate were there, but the Matriarch didn't seem to mind. _"You look after each other out there."_ The old bird said, her beady eyes looking at each of them in turn. _"I won't be pleased if something happens to either of you."_

"I'll keep Amo safe." Owen promised. The Matriarch looked at him then nodded once. With one last look at Amo the old bird's expression softened.

" _I know you will."_ And with that the bird turned and left.

They watched after her for a moment, Owen a little surprised she'd not had a lot more to say. But happy she wasn't going to try and keep Amo here.

" _Will this be good bye then?"_

Catching the deeper meaning behind the question Owen turned to look at the darker Blaziken and her mate. They were watching him, and Amo looked to him after a few moments as well. He honestly hadn't thought too much about what he'd do after he'd gotten back to human civilization. He'd been more worried about the need to go back and if Amo would want to come with him.

"I'd like to think it won't be." Owen finally said. "I don't know what will happen after we leave, but hopefully someday well come back." As he spoke he looked over at Amo. She seemed happy with the answer which made Owen in turn happy to have said he'd like to come back some day.

" _Till that time comes then."_ The Blaziken told him. Owen nodded and watched her look over at her sister. Its seemed she was going to leave now, but Amo pulled her into a hug.

After a few moments Amo let go. She picked up the bag she'd set down earlier and motioned for Owen to follow her into the tree's.

…

They'd not been walking for very long before Owen picked up on the sounds of something behind them in the overgrowth. Exchanging a look with Amo, the two keep going for a little bit before the Blaziken suddenly leapt back and pulled a more then startled Torchic out from behind a bush.

Quark let out an unhappy squawk, before looking away guiltily. Going over to where Amo was standing, Owen could hear the little chick chirp that _"he'd just wanted to come too"._

Amo looked over at him and Owen sighed. Once he might have taken the chick with no worry about what it might mean, people caught wild pokemon all the time after all, but now wasn't sure he liked the practice. Not now he'd seen side of pokemon that made them more 'human'.

"Do you parents know you're out here?" He asked the chick.

Quarks silence and unwillingness to look at him as all the answer Owen needed. "Let's go back."

" _What! We're already this far… why go back?"_ Quark asked, his eyes pleading.

Owen wondered if Quark had ever been away from the clearing before to consider this 'far'. They were only about forty minutes out. Though he thought Amo would be able to get back in ten minutes if she needed to.

"I can't take you with me." Owen told the Torchic, deciding it would be best to just be upfront about it.

Like he expected Quark wasn't happy and the whole way back they walked in silence. Amo carried Quark, which Owen thought was a good thing. He had the feeling the chick would want him to right now.

When they got back it didn't take long to spot Quarks father. He was in the clearing looking at the forest. Seeing them and Quark, he seemed relieved. Seeing this Owen felt his choice to take Quark back was the right one. How many other pokemon had been felt what the Blaziken had? The fear and uncertainty of not knowing where their family was.

His changing feelings on catching pokemon wasn't what he needed to be thinking about at the moment though, so Owen pushed it away for now. He would think about it later.

Amo had handed the unhappy chick over to his father and the Blaziken was looking at Owen with a new kind of respect. _"Thank you for not taking him."_

Not having expected that Owen could only nod and mutter. "I just did what I felt was right."

" _You're not like most humans. They just take anything they want, never caring how the pokemon feel. I'm glad to have met you."_ The bird told him, and Owen looked away. He felt embarrassed. Both over from the Blazikens obvious gratitude and from knowing once he would have been as the pokemon thought humans to be.

Amo moved to his side and Owen looked up at her, happy to have a distraction. _"Let's get going again_." She said.

Owen nodded and sent one last look at the Blaziken and Torchic before leaving once again. Quark was still not looking at him, but he still felt he'd done the right thing. And hopefully Quark would someday see that.

…

Once they left the second time, the two didn't have any other setbacks. The trip though the forest was for the most part pretty uneventful. And the weather stayed good. The food they had didn't last longer than a day, but that wasn't a real issue as they could forage for Berries and other edible plants. Or even hunt.

Amo led him along pokemon trails he wouldn't have know was there if she'd not pointed them out. Owen was sure if helped them make better time, but it still took them 3 and a half days to reach areas where humans inhabited. This didn't surprise Owen to much though, as he and his friends had got a day and a half out anyway to do their research. At night they sleep under the tree's, on piled up leaves. It wasn't the most comfortable in the world, but with Amo there he was warm and felt safe enough.

The place Amo had led him to was a small town about a mile away from the thick forest they'd traveled though. It wasn't a place he'd been to before but that didn't worry Owen too much.

The looks he received as he walked thought the small town in search of a Poke center though left him feeling a little self-conscious… Looking down at his worn and blood stained clothing he had no trouble realizing he didn't look so great. Amo's presence next to him helped a lot though. Looking at the Blaziken he gave saw she seemed rather nervous, but was looking around with obvious interest.

' _I wonder if she feels anything like I'd done that first week.'_ Owen thought as he gazed at her.

His thoughts were interrupted as a middle age man walked up to them. He'd come from a small, but nice house and a woman of the same age was looking on from the porch.

"Are you in need of any help?" The man asked, eyeing his appearance.

"Sort of, is there a PokeCenter here?" Owen asked as he placed a hand on Amo's back to calm her. She'd stiffened up at the man's approach. Though his question and Owens touch helped relax her some.

"No, the closest one is a couple towns over. We don't get many trainers in the area." He said in way of explanation. Seeing Owens frown and far off look he added after a few moments. "We do have a small police station though. They take care of some of the thing the Pokecenter normally would do around here. Maybe they could help you there?"

Realizing he might have needed to talk to the police even if he'd gone to a Pokecenter Owen nodded. "Where can I find the station?" He asked.

"It's that way." The man pointed to towards the left hand street a little down the road and then gave him a more detailed instructions on how to get there. Thanking the man Owen took off the way he pointed out.

" _What are.. where are we going?"_ Amo asked.

Wondering if she'd been going to ask what police where at first, but changed the question when she realized she couldn't hope to say the word, Owen said. "We're going to see some humans that enforce rules and order." He thought that would be the easiest way to tell Amo want she wanted to know.

" _And they'll help you see your friends?"_ She asked as they turned to go down a new road.

"That's what I'm hoping." He nodded. He also thought he would need to talk to them about what had happened in the mountains.

Amo didn't ask anything else, instead went back to gazing around, so they walked in silence the rest of the way to the station. When they got there the older lady behind the front desk took one look at him and then turned around in her chair called back into the main room for a 'Jeremy' to get over here.

"What is it Margret?" Someone called back and a few moments later a tall dark gray haired man in a blue uniform came up to the desk. In response to his question the lady just point Owens way. The officers eyes widened a little when he looked over at Owen and took in his appearance.

"Come on back." Officer Jeremy told him and opened the gate next to the desk. Owen did as he was told and passed through the gate that was open. Amo followed after and the officer looked over at her. "Do you have a PokeBall you could recall your Blaziken in?" The officer asked.

Looking back at Amo Owen shook his head. "No, she doesn't have one." As he looked at her he worried if this was going to be a problem. He'd totally forgotten that pokemon normally need to be inside their balls in a lot of public buildings. He wasn't even sure what they'd think of the fact Amo was technically wild. He just know people were supposed to catch pokemon they intended to keep.

"I'll go get you a replacement ball then." The officer said and started to leave. Owen called him back though by saying,

"I didn't mean I don't have the ball with me. Amo's never had one."

The officer looked between him and Amo for a few moments before he headed over to a desk and motioned for Owen to sit down. "We will talk about the fact your pokemon's wild in a moment, but first I'd like to know why you'd come to the station." Officer Jeremy said after Owen had sat down in a chair and so had Amo after a moment of looking at it.

"Well, why I came here ties in with how I got Amo." Owen said and hoped Amo would take offence to been talked about as if Owen owned her. Before he went on he waited to see if the officer would say anything but he didn't so went on, "I'm Owen Hawthorn. About three or four months ago-" Owen had kind of lost track of time while with the flock, "-I was on a research trip with some colleges of mine. I we were caught on the mountain during a storm and I was separated from them."

As he'd spoken about what happened something seemed to click in the officers' mind and as soon as he had the opportunity said. "You're the man that went missing? I remember hearing about that a few months ago. We'd even had a few of the townsfolk go join in the search parties that were out looking the first couple weeks. Where have you been?"

Owen had guessed there'd have been people out looking for him, but he'd not know it would be more than his friends and some trained search parties. Looking up at Amo he felt grateful for the effort that had go into looking for him, even if they'd never found him.

"They never found me as I'd been with Amo's flock." He told the surprised cop. Looking back at the man he told him about how he'd broken his leg in the landslide, or the fall over the cliff because of it. And then about finding Amo trapped after he'd come to. He paused for a few moments when it came to the pack of Mightena, but in the end he quickly told him about the attack and being saved by the Blaziken.

After the whole tale or most of it (he keep the part about loving Amo to himself), had been told the officer just sat there looking at him and occasionally Amo. "If I didn't know for a fact you really had been lost in the mountains I'm not sure I'd believe that story." He man finally said. He sat there a moment longer just looking between Owen and Amo before getting up. "Wait here, I have some calls I need to make."

Owen nodded as the officer went into the back room. Leaning back into the chair Owen relaxed a little. The worst was over now and hopefully his friends would soon know where he was. Feeling a hand on his arm Owen looked over at Amo. He could tell she was a little confused about what was going on, but luckily didn't seem totally lost.

" _When is he going to get your friends?"_ Amo clucked to him quietly, as if she wasn't sure she should talk in here.

"He might be doing that now." Owen told her quietly. "He's probably sending messages to people about me, and I'm sure they'll be some of the people he's telling."Amo nodded and went back to looking around. As he knew her so well he guessed the Blaziken would have loved to be able explore what she was seeing more. Hopefully later he'd be able to let her.

It was about half an hour later that officer Jeremy returned. He had a police issued pokeball in his hand. It was a solid metallic gray in color, save for the gold star on the top. It was the same as the badge the officers wore. On seeing the pokeball though Owen feared that he was in trouble for having wild, un registered pokemon with him. He knew that at times the police would seize trainer's pokemon with those balls. They were one of the few that would catch a pokemon without fail and override the signature of a previous ball.

To his surprise though the ball was given to him. "You'll need to catch and register the Blaziken if you want to keep her." The officer said. "I'd have given you a normal ball, but this is all we've got. I did disable some of its features though."

Looking at the ball Owen just nodded as he rolled it around in his hands. "Is there some place I can do this in privet?" Owen asked. Looking over at Amo he saw she was looking at the ball, but could tell what she was thinking about it.

The officer looked at him and nodded after a moment. "I'll take you out back."

Getting up Owen nodded again and followed the cop to a door, Amo coming behind him. Looking out it he saw that it lead to behind the police station. "I'll be back in a few minutes. There are still a few things I need to talk to you about."

"Alright." Owen said and the officer left him and Amo alone.

" _What will that do?"_ Amo asked, looking down at the ball.

Looking at it himself he said, "It'll pull you inside of it. And keep you there till I let you out again."

Amo gave the ball a more puzzled then worried look, _"How can it do that? I'm a lot bigger than that.. Bawhal"_ She said, having a little trouble with the word but not as much as with some others.

Despite himself Owen smiled a little at that. He wasn't at all surprised that she wouldn't understand how she could be put in something so small. Even he didn't really understand how the balls worked. "I'm not sure how they work." He told her honestly, "I think here a lot bigger on the inside though."

Still looking skeptically at the ball Amo asked, _"Why do you have to put me in it?"_

"Well right now it's so I can register you as my pokemon. In order to do that I have to… catch you first." He said, not entirely happy about it. "The law is supposed to help protect pokemon. So that people like the police officer I was talking to, will know what pokemon a person has. There are laws about how many pokemon one person can have and laws that say people have to treat their pokemon humanely."

By now Owen was staying this stuff more as to remind himself the reason he needed to catch Amo and not to explain to the pokemon as much. A taloned hand on his arm caused Owen to look back at Amo.

" _If you have to put me in that to keep out of trouble, then do it. If it's you I'm not scared."_ She told him. Looking at her Owen wondered if she realized what she did when she told him things like that. Closing his eyes he nodded then opened them again. Pressing the button on the ball to turn it on Owen tossed the device at Amo.

He almost couldn't watch, but he also couldn't look away as the ball bounced off the Blaziken's feathery shoulder and a red beam of light was emitted as ball opened up. The light surrounded Amo and seemed to make her smaller as it drew her inside. Once the ball snapped shut once more it fell to the ground. Slowly Owen walked over and picked up the ball. Knowing what, who was inside of it he held it with care.

The sound of a door opening drew his eyes back to the building. Seeing Officer Jeremy standing there Owen walked back over and followed the man inside to finish answering his questions and anything else that was needed. In his left hand he keep a tight hold of Amo's pokeball.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The rest of the day was a chaotic blur for Owen, and he was sure it had to have been worse on Amo. He wanted to let her out of the ball as soon as he was able, but with everything that ended up happening she'd had to stay inside the ball. After answering more of the officer's questions and filling out forms at the station to register his ownership of Amo, Owen had found himself in the back of police cruiser and on the way to a hospital in a larger city a couple hours drive away.

Once they'd got there Officer Jeremy had handed him over to the doctor that had been waiting for their arrival. Apparently someone had decided after everything he'd gone though that he need thorough checkup. Or maybe it was just protocol. Whatever the reason, Owen didn't mind seeing a doctor that much, but wished it would get over faster. The Doctor had given him a full look over, paying special attention to the healed bite marks, and then taken a bunch of x-rays and drawn some blood for a couple tests before leaving Owen alone in the room while they waited for the results.

The long hours spent waiting in the small room he'd been taken to felt like days to him. There were magazines he could have looked at, but he quickly grew bored with them. Pulling Amo's ball out of his pocket and couldn't help but play with it, rolling it around in his hands, while he contemplated pushing the button. A part of him wanted to disregard the rules about not allowing pokemon in the building and let her out. With an agitated sigh, Owen put the ball back in his pocket. At least for a few minutes.

When the doctor finally did come back Owen was more than happy to see the tall dark haired women, and hoped she was here to tell him the results and let him leave.

Seeing his hopeful look the Doctor smiled. "Your blood work all came back looking fine. And your X-rays all look good too." She told him going over to the screen. She clipped the black plastic up and turned it on to show Owen.

"This is where the break happened" She indicated an area on the large of the two white bones shown on the image. Getting up off the chair he'd been sitting in, Owen walked over to look closer. He had no training to help him see things she'd be able to spot, but with her pointing out where the break had happened, he could see a faint line across the bone.

"The bone looks like it has healed fine and as you don't seem to have any problems I don't think we need to worry about problems with it later on."

Looking away from the image he asked, "What kind of problems could there have been?"

"There are a few things, but the main one would have been if the bone had healed with the bones being out of place a bit. That could have cause you a limp and possible pain later if you didn't have it re-broken and set right soon enough.

"I'm glad I don't need to do that…" He muttered looking back at the X-ray. The pain he'd felt the first time it was broken made him hope to never break his leg again. Looking back at the doctor he asked, "Am I good to go then?" A little of his desire to get out of here could be heard in his voice, but Owen didn't much care. He really was more than ready to leave this small room.

"Yes, you can go now." The doctor said and opened the door. As he moved to follow her out the door though, she looked back at him. "The PokeCenter was contacted and I was asked to let you know that Nurse Zoe hopes to see you after you're done here."

Owen nodded in understanding and the Doctor left to go see to other patients. He was a little tired of having to go here and there, but at least with at the PokeCenter he could have Amo out of her ball with no worries.

Once he was out of the large and inviting building that was Tundir cities hospital, Owen did want he'd been wanting to do most of the day. He pulled Amo's ball out of his pocket and pushed the button to release her. Like when he'd caught her, a beam of red light was emitted from the metallic steel gray ball. The light condensed and after moment a slightly disoriented Blaziken stood there blinking.

"Are you alright?" Owen asked as he reached out to steady the humanoid bird.

" _I think so… "_ She clucked as she looked at him. _"That will just take some getting used to."_

"What was it like inside of there?" He asked, curious about it now that it seemed Amo was fine. Not that he'd really worried she was unwell. If ball could hurt pokemon he didn't think they'd be allowed.

Amo made a humming sound in her chest as she thought of how to respond. _"I was… enveloped in a feeling of safety and peace."_ She said slowly. _" I was wide awake, but also felt like I was sleeping. I know I was in there a while, but it also feels I was only put in moments before being let back out. It was strange._

As fascinating as learning that was, all that Owen found he really cared about was that Amo hadn't been scared or bored while inside the ball. "I'm glad it wasn't awful. I might have to put you in the ball again." He told her as they started to walk to the PokeCenter. It wasn't too far from the hospital. He could see the tall building, though not as big as the hospital, tower over surrounding buildings. It looked to only be five or so blocks away.

" _I hope I don't end up spending most of my time in here."_ Amo told him as she looked around. From her tone and how she was looking around at the things she'd never seen before, Owen could tell it wasn't that she didn't want to be in there, so much as didn't want to miss out on a lot.

"I keep you out as much as I can." He promised her. He'd have liked to say he'd never put her in it again, but knew that was a promise he couldn't keep.

Amo gave him a happy look (it showed in her eyes) before looking back at the new world all around her. Smiling at the bird Owen started to tell her about some of the things she was seeing as they walked to the PokeCenter. She seemed practically intrigued by cars. She found it fascinating that human had made things to bring them from place to place, even if she enjoyed walking to get where you were going.

When Owen arrived at the PokeCenter he'd hardly told Amo everything there was to know. He only tipped the iceberg. He knew there'd be plenty of time later to tell her more though.

Amo looked around with interest when they entered the building, but the number of people inside seemed to cause her to feel a bit shy. She kept right up next to Owen. Glancing over his shoulder at the bird Owen sent her a look he hoped would be calming, before looking back towards the large desk he was walking towards.

"Hello." He greeted the slightly chubby blonde haired women behind the desk, working at a computer.

Said woman looked up from her work with a smile. Taking in his still dirty appearance and the Blaziken at his side she returned his greeting than asked, "Are you Owen?" When he nodded she got up and motioned for him to follow her. "I'm Zoe. Officer Jeremy contacted us earlier to inform us what was going on. We have a room ready for you to stay in while you're here. If you'd like you can also pick up a few things you need from the shop."

As she said this, the Nurse indicated towards other end to the center where a small trainer shop was located and handed over a temporary Id card to him. Glancing down at his clothes Owen was glad for the chance to get something new to wear.

"We'll also need to give your Blaziken the standard checkup and tests." The nurse went on as she lead them though a large sliding glass door. The door lead to the 'vet' part of the center. They walked down a wide hallway with glass doors on either side. The doors lead to small exam rooms, or farther inside to specialized care and emergency rooms. The nurse led them into one of the smaller exam rooms.

As they'd walked to the room, Owen had picked up on Amo's nervousness. The Blaziken had taken a hold of his left arm and had stopped looking around with interest. Inside the room she clucked lowly, _"Why do I need to… take tests?"_

Hoping to reassure Amo, the green haired man smiled and tired to help her understand what was going on more. "She just needs to make sure you're healthy. By tests she means she's going to check for any illness its possible pokemon can have. Right Nurse Zoe?"

The nurse looked a little surprised to be asked to explain to a wild pokemon what the checkup was for as if Amo was human and understood everything they were saying, but joined in anyway. Owen wondered if working with pokemon as she did, that Zoe already knew quiet well how intelligent pokemon where and how much they understood.

"Yes, I just need to make sure you're healthy. It's something we do with all newly registered pokemon." The nurse explained to Amo and then gestured to the exam table.

It took a few moments for Amo to move away from Owen, but the humanoid bird did. She walked over to the table and after looking at the steel surface for a moment, then sat down.

Owen himself sat in a chair up against the wall on the opposite side of the room from the table, and watched the nurse do her job. Maybe it was just how she did exams, or something she was doing for Amo's benefit now she realized the pokemon was quiet intelligent and already had a good understanding of human speak, but Zoe talked though out the exam. Explaining what she was doing and now and then asking for the birds compliance to do this or that. At first Amo would glance at him before doing as the nurse asked, but after a while she stopped looking for guidance. Save for when Zoe wanted to take blood at the very end. Amo took one look at the needle and then sent a questioning look to Owen.

"It's alright." He reassured her, smiling a little. In the back of his mind though, Owen didn't blame her for not wanting to be poked by it. He himself didn't like needles much…

When she was all done Zoe put her things away and smiled at the both of them. "Your Blaziken seems quite healthy. And smart. It's too bad most pokemon aren't so easy to give checkups too."

Getting off the exam table Amo hurried over to Owen, but he could tell she was happy the nurse only had good things to say.

"She definitely is a special bird." He agreed as they left the exam room.

Once they were back out in the main lobby the nurse headed back over to the front desk, but not before saying. "We've been in contact with your university. Some of your colleagues should be on the way here. I believe they'll arrive Thursday, the day after tomorrow." She added when Owen looked towards the calendar at the desk.

"Thank you." He told her, happy to know they'd been informed. And happy he himself didn't need to make the call. He'd been a little anxious about doing it. For some reason he was just not sure how to go about it. Just a 'Hey! Guess what, I'm actually still alive!' didn't seem appropriate.

Walking away from the desk Owen pulled out the Id carded he'd put in his pocket and looked over at the trainer shop. "Let's go find me something new to wear." He told Amo as he headed over towards it.

Amo made an affirmative cluck and followed him over. As they went Owen could tell others were looking at him again, and picked up his pace a little. He really didn't like the way people seemed to judge him for his appearance. Some looks gave him he feeling they thought him a bum or something, while others where a bit pitying.

Reaching the shop he shook his head a little and headed over to the small section of clothing available. Most of it had either the PokeCenter logo on it or was some other name brand that was affiliated somehow with the Center. At the moment though he didn't care that much and just tired to find something that he'd looked okay in.

"Do you see anything you like?" He asked Amo over his shoulder. He wasn't sure the Blaziken would be that interested in helping him find new clothes, she'd never quite got why he wore them, but wanted to give her the chance to help anyway.

She made an 'hmmm-ish' sound in her chest and after a moment came a little closer to look at the shirts he was looking through. After a few minutes she pulled out a long sleeved red and orange shirt with a bit of a fire pattern along the bottom and sleeves.

" _Maybe this?"_ She clucked in question as she held it towards him.

Looking over at it Owen smiled. "What do you like about it?" He asked as he accepted the shirt. He wondered if it was the color, so similar to her own plumage, or the flames she liked. Or both.

Amo turned back to the rake of shirts and for a moment Owen didn't thinks she was going to tell him, but then he caught a quiet, _"I just thought it would look nice."_

It didn't really answer his question but, Owen still felt his lips turn up in a grin. _'I really am hopeless.'_ He thought as he put the red and orange shirt over his arm. The fact it likely would clash with his green hair something he didn't mind at the moment.

In the end he picked out one more over shirt, a light brown one with the Center logo on the back, and a couple pairs of jeans. He'd also grabbed some new shoes and some packages of white and gray tee-shirts, socks and briefs when he noticed them on the back wall. Going the cashier, Owen handed him the card he'd been given. It took the young man a few minutes to figure out how to get it to work, making Owen wonder if he was new here, but he did figure it out and after that Owen led Amo to the sliding doors that lead to the trainer rooms.

He had to scan his card to get in. Doing that also gave him the number of the room he'd been given. Once inside room 26, with the card opening this for him as well, Owen dropped his new clothes on the bed along. It was along one of the walls, with a small window over it. Other then the bed there wasn't too much in the room. Along another wall was a small desk with a chair and opposite that was a door. Opening it Owen found it lead to a small bathroom with toilet, shower and sink all crammed inside.

"I'm going to get cleaned up and change, alright?" He told Amo, who was standing in the middle of the small room. Looking towards him she clucked 'okay' and nodded her head as she walked towards the bed and window. Through it could be see a large park filled with pokemon and trainers. Some were practicing while others just relaxing or having fun.

Looking out the window to himself, Owen said, "After I'm done we can go out there if you want." Again Amo just nodded and feeling she likely needed a little time to adjust Owen let her be. Going back over to the bed he grabbed some of the new clothes, the orange and red shirt included and went into the small bathroom.

…

The day his friends where to arrive, Owen and Amo were outside at the park. They were sitting at a picnic table just watching some of the other trainers. Amo interested in seeing how pokemon and humans got along here, and Owen just happy to be peacefully sitting next to Amo. It was the cry of his name that let him know they'd arrived.

"Owen!" Sarah yelled as she ran towards where he was sitting. He barely had time to turn and look before she'd flung herself on him." We.. were so worried. I.. I thought you'd died! We looked all over for you but all we ever found was your bag." She half yelled, half sobbed as she clung to him.

"I'm sorry." Owen said quietly. Suddenly he found it hard to talk and his eyes were a little watery. He'd have wrapped an arm around her to try and comfort his friend, but at that moment Amo had let out an irritated squawk and was attempting to get Sarah off him.

Both humans where startled, and Sarah backed away a little, with a wary look at the bird. "Amo?" Owen questioned.

" _Why'd she tackled and screech at you?"_ The Blaziken asked, still looking at Sarah as if she thought she'd 'tackle' Owen again. _"Who is she?"_

"It's all right. She's one of my friends." Owen said after looking at Amo for a moment. The way she stood next to him seemed protective, but also like she was guarding what was hers. It was that, that had him staring at the bird. Did she even know she was doing that? And what did it mean if she was aware? Now wasn't the time to wonder though.

"She was just happy to see me is all." Owen told Amo.

The Blaziken looked between him and Sarah for a moment and then over to the other two humans, as well as the branch horned deer, that had followed Sarah over. Jake and Tom. Seeing as they weren't looking likely to 'tackle' Owen as well, and maybe because they where guys, Amo didn't seem to mind them. Finally she made a 'Bah' like noise that was here equivalent of a huff, and moved to sit back down.

Patting Amo's feathery arm Owen stood up to face his friends. "Sorry about that. She's just seems a little protective is all."

Sarah nodded but still keep a little away from Amo. Jake though come the rest of the way over and asked, "So what happened? All we'd been told was you'd turned up a live."

Glad most Jake and it seemed Tom to wasn't too worried about his new pokemon, Owen answered there questions as best he could, sometimes enjoying their look of amazement or disbelief. As he'd talked he'd ended up standing by his Sawsbuck and stroking the deer's strong neck. He'd not been lonely while with the Blaziken, but he was happy to see his first Pokemon. He loved the deer too. Not like he did Amo, but as a faithful companion he could trust to always be there.

After he'd finished tell them about what had happened after he'd fallen off the cliff, Jake slapped him on the back with a large grin on his face. "That's some tale you've got now. I almost want to go get lost myself for a while." He said jokingly. "All I've got to impress people with all the obscure pokemon facts I know."

"Well I think the time you pissed off the professors Quilava is a good story." Sarah butt in with a not so innocent grin.

"Maybe to you." Jake said turning to the blue haired woman. "You didn't have to wonder if it'll fry you every time you see it."

Owen rolled his eyes as the two started to bicker and went back over to the table Amo was still at. He wasn't too worried that they would be annoyed with him for leaving them. He wasn't even sure how long it would take the two to even notice he'd wondered off. And Tom was a quiet man. He liked to take everything in and comment when it was needed. So Owen sat down next to the Amo without any worry. Sawsbuck followed him over and gazed at Amo with a large dark eye before leaning in to rub his nose against her.

Glad the deer liked her Owen smiled. "Looks like he doesn't mind you."

" _This is the natures stag you told me about?"_ Amo asked as she gentle pushed the deer's noise away.

Owen thought that was an interesting thing to call the deer. It as an accurate description of a Sawsbuck though. "Yeah, this is my Sawsbuck." He said reaching forward to rub the deer's noise. The Sawsbuck let out a happy sound. After a moment Amo patted the deer too, in a show of being willing to get along with him.

They sat there for a while, till Sarah and Jake stopped arguing. Sarah suggested they go out somewhere to celebrate Owen's return. The green haired man agreed happily, but insisted they find a place there pokemon could be out and join them. Tom looked at Amo when he'd said that, but didn't say anything and the others agreed easily.

The place they found was an outdoor barbeque like grill. As it was out doors and spacious it was fine to let pokemon join in. As long as the pokemon we'll trained anyway. It was a cook your own food type of place. Each table had its own grill to cook the raw berries and veggies, as well as the platter full of stips of tauros meat they'd ordered.

Owen gave a large bowl of greens and berries to Sawsbuck before telling Amo she could have anything she wanted. The bird nodded but before getting anything, gave Owen a puzzled look as he'd picked up some of the raw meat. _"I thought you didn't like meat?"_

"Not when it's raw. But I do when it's cooked." He told the bird as he placed it on the grill. Owen had thought of trying to explain about humans cooking there food while he was with the Flock. He'd not at first as he wasn't sure how to get Amo to understand, and later they'd just not been much need as he was never given anything after the bonfire he'd need to cook before eating.

Amo watched what he was doing for a few moments before she seemed to understand what he meant by cooking. Picking up a slice of the meat she looked at the grill. Owen stopped her before she set it down though, "You can eat it however you'd like." He reassured her. Amo nodded, but set it down anyway. Deciding it wasn't a big deal if she wanted to eat it as he did, or was just trying it out, Owen went back to making sure his piece didn't burn.

A little while later after they'd started to eat and Sarah and Jake were 'arguing' over what berries tasted better raw or grilled, Tom leaned towards Owen. "Earlier you were actually talking with your Blaziken, weren't you?"

A little surprised by the question Owen slowly nodded.

"I thought so." Tom said looking over at Amo. "At first I wondered if you just got to really understand her body language as most pokemon and trainers do, but it seemed you both were responding to to precise of things for it to be that." He murmured, then looked back at Owen. His eyes shining with interest, like they always did when he found something he wanted to know more about.

Owen wondered what was going on in his mind, but Tom just looked at Amo thoughtfully before going back to the food. Once they were done eating the group headed back to the center. His friends didn't stay there long though, as unlike Owen, they weren't staying there. Instead they had rooms in a motel, as none of them where registered as traveling trainers. Owen knew he was only given a room at the center because he'd had no way to pay for a place to stay, and because of what had happened to him. He'd noticed the staff, especially the nurses that worked at the center had been keeping an eye on him. Nurse Zoe had even mentioned she was friends with a good psychiatrist in passing.

He knew they were only concerned, and wanted him to get help if he needed it, but it very quickly got annoying. He thought he was mentally sound, so wasn't sure he needed to see a shrink.

After his friends had left Owen went back outside to the park with Amo and Sawsbuck. Looking at the deer he started to wonder if he should nickname him too. He'd never thought much about it before, partly because he wasn't sure what to name him, and because the pokemon seemed fine without one. Now though he wanted to call him something special. As he did Amo.

"Do you want a nickname?" He asked the Deer. Unlike Amo the Sawsbuck didn't fully understand everything he said, but he was intelligent and got a got portion of it. So the deer blinked and looked over at him. After a few moments the deer 'shrugged' and then turned his attention to a young boy and his Treecko that were training.

That was typical behavior of the deer and it made Owen smile. The pokemon would always keep his attention on Owen when it was important or the man need someone to just talk too, but for the most the deer part was laid back and a bit indifferent to things. Owen knew as long as he took the Sawsbuck with him, the pokemon would be happy with whatever Owen did.

Turning to Amo he asked, "So what did you think of my friends?"

" _I like natures stag."_ She said looking towards Sawsbuck. They both knew that wasn't what he'd meant though so after a moment she said, _"The males were okay, but I don't the blue female. She shouldn't have tackled you."_ She said still not looking at him. Owen though she sounded jealous as she talked about Sarah, but wasn't sure it wasn't just wishful thinking on his part.

"She didn't mean anything by it." Owen tried to reassure her again even if it was just his imagination that she was jealous. "Like I'd said she was just happy then."

Amo clicked her beak but didn't say anything more about it. So they sat in silence as the sun started to set. Just as Owen was going to call Sawsbuck back (the deer had ended up wandering off a little ways) and suggest they head inside, Amo suddenly turned to look at him. The look in her eyes was intense, and so full of emotion that Owen had a hard time pinning any of them down. _"Don't let her tackle you again."_ She told him somewhat forcefully.

There was no denying the jealousy now, and Owen just stared at the bird. Part of him loved it, it meant Amo had to feel _something_ for him to be jealous, and wanted to let if continue, but the more reasonable part of his mind didn't think it would be good to have Amo glaring at Sarah whenever he did stuff with her.

"Amo, you don't need to worry about her. She's nothing more than my friend. I don't feel anything more than that towards her." Amo looked at him for a few moments before giving a slight nod. She didn't seem fully convinced though so Owen decided to let her in on something he though. "I think Sarah likes Jake anyway. They fight like every time they meet, but I think they enjoy it. And if you think she was worried about me, that's nothing compared to when he sprained an ankle once…" He still remembered how she'd acted as if Jake was about to die, rather than in need of a cold press and a brace.

" _The noisy male?"_ Amo asked. Owen nodded and after a moment she seemed to finally decide Sarah wasn't a threat. Maybe… _"I still don't like her touching you."_

Shaking his head a little Owen laughed, "Alright, I'll try to keep her from touching me to much then." To that Amo gave him a happy look. For a few moments Owen just gazed back at her, soaking in the knowledge she seemed to like him. After a few moments though, he decided he had to know for sure. Know that she wasn't just super possessive of her friends.

"Amo…" He started a little nervously. Sensing he had something important to say, Amo's gaze became more focused on him. "Why do you worry about if I loved Sarah, or her me?"

Amo's eye's became so full of emotions again. This time though he could see a lot of confusion and uncertainty. The Blaziken opened her beak a few time, only to click it shut. She also kept looking away from him, only to return her dark eyes to him a few moments later.

It seemed to take Amo a while to decide why, or simply what to answer. Owen could tell when she had though, because the swirling storm of emotions calmed and they suddenly seemed to shine with a new emotion. One that he'd dreamed of, but hardly dared truly think he'd see.

" _Because you're my Human."_


	11. Chapter 11

Epilogue

The green haired man wearing a backpack stood under the dense foliage and trees on the edge of a large clearing. Next to him was a tall humanoid bird with red, yellow and beige plumage. Behind them both was a stag with branch like antlers covered in orange and red leaves. The deer seemed a perfectly at easy, human and Blaziken where both a bit nervous about stepping out of the cover and out to where the other birds would see them. It had been about 3 and a half years since either last saw this place.

Owen had finally decided it was time to return to the mountains, for a few reasons. The biggest being Amo. He could tell the Blaziken was happy to be with him, but at times it was obvious to him how much she missed her home. So once he was able to, Owen took off to do his own research as a newly named Professor. His chosen field of study being behavior of wild pokemon and most importantly, the study of how wild pokemon communicate and interact in the wild.

It was partly thanks to Tom that he'd was here today as a Professor. The slightly older man had found what he'd ended up prying from Owen about the flock to be fascinating. So he'd helped Owen advance a little more quickly then he may have done on his own though the university. All he'd required as thanks was for Owen to send him back a lot of fascinating research to go over once he was qualified to do field research on his own. How the quiet man knew that was just what he was wanting to do was beyond him, but he wasn't about to pass up the chance to make it happen faster.

"We probably should keep going." Owen said quietly as he pulled his thoughts back to the present. But still didn't move from where he stood looking out at the clearing and the few birds he could see outside. Amo made a noise of agreement, but only shifted where she stood. Elking, the Sawsbuck, just looked at the two like he didn't get why where making a big deal out of entering the clearing. Eventually the deer decided to wonder off. Owen let him go as he wasn't too worried about the way the Flock would react to him, and anyway it was he and Amo they really need to enter the clearing.

Even so, the two remained like that for a few more minutes till their presence was finally made know. Though Owen had the feeling most of the Blaziken know about them, and where just letting them take the time they needed. It was a Combusken running hap hazardly threw the tree's that gave them away to everyone. With a startled squawk the bird had all but ran head first into the pair. Only Amo's quick reflexes prevented it. She'd slipped her arms around Own and jumped out of the way, which happened to bring them out into the open.

Still holding onto Owen Amo bawked at the younger bird, telling him to watch where he was going. The Combusken, like the others that where in the clearing or just heard Amo's scolding, just staring at the two of them.

" ' _En!"_ TheCombusken that had nearly hit them suddenly yelled and the next thing Owen know he was being squished between Amo and a happy Combusken clucking and squawking so fast that he had no clue as to what was being said.

" _Settle down!"_ Came a shrill call from somewhere behind them, and the Combusken, seeming a little embarrassed, let go and backed away. Amo loosened her hold on Owen a little as well and the both of them turned to see a darker plumaged Blaziken making her way down the mountain trail towards them. Amos sister.

She sent the Combusken a stern look and all of a sudden Owen knew who the bird was. "Quark?" He asked looking over at the now evolved bird.

The Combusken beamed and nodded, but keep quiet as his mother was close.

She and Amo studied each other for a few long moments before Amo broke the silence. _"You're the wise one now?"_ Amo asked both happy and sad, as she looked at shell and feather necklace her sister wore. Owen didn't remember seeing it on the old bird, but maybe he'd just forgotten about it.

" _I am."_ She nodded, and then looked around at the gathered flock. There were both new and old faces. Most seemed happy to see them though. Turning her eyes back on Amo and Owen, the new Matriarch said, _"Welcome back."_ This was said loudly so the whole flock could hear and know she thought they were part of the flock. Those that remembered them and had liked Owen, repeated the welcome. Those that hadn't been around when Owen was with the flock last time just looked around confused or with a little interest.

Owen opened his mouth to say something, maybe a thanks, but he found he was at a loose of words to explain how much he was glad to be back. His feeling must have shown though as the Dark Blaziken gave him an understanding look and patted his should. She also seemed to be taking in her sisters around his around his waist. She hardly seemed bothered or surprised by it though.

" _Come. Let's go up to your nest."_ The Matriarch gestured and headed towards the trail. As they went a few of the Combusken and Blaziken called out a few more greetings, like it was good to see Amo again. A few even where directed at Owen, saying they hoped things would be interesting now he was back again.

[i]"I've had my chick keep the cave clean for you while you've been gone."[/i] The Blaziken told them as they made their way up the trail. Amo had let go of Owen so they could walk easier, but still the two keep close. When they got the cave Owen saw it had been upkeep, and hardly looked any different from what he could remember. He could even see the mat he'd made and given Amo so long ago. The only real thing he could pin point that was different was the bedding for the nest. It was fresh and lacked the feathers that all over from use.

" _Thanks."_ Amo clucked, tilting her head around to look at the Combusken that thought he'd been sneaky and snuck after them unknown. Now it was obvious they knew he was there, Quark came out and ruffled his feathers sheepishly.

" _It was no problem. I was happy to keep it ready for when you guys came back."_ He said happily. A thought crossed his mind and he happy look in his eyes dimed a little. _"You are back to stay right?"_

Amo looked over to Owen for the answer to that.

"I'll need to leave sometimes." He told Quark, not wanting to lie. "I still have things I need to do with other humans, and I don't want to completely abandon my friends. But I am planning on spending a lot of time here."

Quarks reaction to hearing that was a testament to how much the hyper bird had grown in three years. Unlike when he was a chick, he didn't get upset and not want to talk to Owen or Amo anymore. Instead he seemed sad, but nodded in understanding. _"Next time you go it won't be so long before you come back will it?"_

"I hope not." Owen said, and really meant it. He'd missed being here more then he'd thought possible these past few years.

" _You have things you're supposed to be doing"_ The darker bird suddenly reminded her son. He looked up at here with a pleading look, but after a few moments gave up.

" _I'll see you later."_ He clucked and ran off down the trail.

His mother let out an exasperated sound as she watched him go, and clucked something low that sounded like 'brake his neck someday', before she looked back at Amo and Owen. [i]"It's good to have you back."[/i] She told her sister and pulled her into a huge. Owen almost felt like he should step out for a moment so they could catch up, but the dark Blaziken reach out and gripped his shoulder before he did more than shift his foot. _"I'm glad you're back as well."_

This time Owen found the words that didn't come before. "I'm glad we could finally come back. I think I miss the flock almost as much as Amo." He said and then looked over at his beloved Blaziken. "I know you were happy most of the time, but don't deny you'd not missed being here and at times wanted to come back."

" _Alright, I wont."_ Amo agreed.

" _I'll leave you two to get settled back in then."_ The Matriarch said, and left them at the mouth of the cave.

Owen turned to look back in the cave, and next to him Amo did the same. After a few minutes had passed she entered and he followed. Pulling off the backpack he was wearing (it was mostly full of clothes, though he did have a number of note books as well as pencils and pens too) Owen dropped it next to a stick along one wall. The stick Amo had once given to him to use as a crutch. Running his hand over the smooth surface the lost himself in memories for a few moments.

Dropping his hand he turned and headed over to where Amo was inspecting the nest. Wrapping his arms around his feathery waist he asked in a low voice. "Is it good enough to use tonight?"

" _I think so."_ She responded, and twisted around to look down at Owen. _"Only one way to find out though."_ She coo'd at him, before she pulled him onto said nest.

Laughing a little Owen looked up at his Amo. His love. Pulling her close whispered, "I'm glad we came back. Things are some much simpler here." He didn't need to worry about showing too much affection to Amo here. Unlike humans, he very much doubted pokemon thought there was such a thing as improper love.

Closing his eyes Owen pressed up close to Amo's warm and feathery body and pressed his check against the warm feathers of crock of her neck. The Blaziken responded by cooing into his ear a happy and soothing melody. It reminded him a lot of the first few days he'd spent laying with her in a nest. He might not be scared and in pain anymore, but that didn't mean he didn't need her to coo for him anymore.

No he needed everything she'd give him. And he hoped she need all he had to offer too. For they now had a long time to make each other happy.


End file.
